The situation is changing the habits - dietary acculturation and affecting factors among selected South Indian migrants in Singapore in context of the acculturation process
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Indian migrants form the second largest diaspora worldwide. With an intensive relation between food and culture and an increased prevalence for diet-related disease, examining and understanding the process of dietary acculturation of this migrant population is of high importance. A few studies have investigated the eating behaviour of Indian migrants especially in US but also in Europe. Until now, no research on dietary acculturation of first generation Indian migrants in Singapore has been conducted. The purpose of this study was to explore the process of dietary acculturation for first generation Indian migrants in Singapore. Affecting factors on the migrants eating habits as well as the context between dietary modifications and further acculturation aspects were investigated. In order to understand the process and receive comprehensive information, a qualitative approach was used. This approach examined not only the eating behaviour of the sample but also changes in their cultural and social daily life in order to identify influences on the migrants diet. A review of literature on Indian and Singaporean culture and the eating habits as well as on previous studies on that topic was presented and incorporated in the understanding of the experience of the participants.Twenty-four in-depth interviews were conducted to collect the data for this study. In order to verify the interview data and gather additional data on the acculturation process, a 24-hour dietary recall and an acculturation scale were included in the data collection process. Socio-demographic data were requested with a focus on their possible influence on the dietary acculturation. Data were analysed based on the approach of STRAUSS AND CORBIN (1990). Findings were presented in two steps. The first step presented results of the used instruments. In a second part, these findings were related to the research questions.The findings of this study indicate that first generation Indian migrants in Singapore prefer to eat traditional Indian foods for several reasons, namely taste, trust, health, nostalgia and to preserve their cultural identity. This traditional Indian diet was modified to different extents depending on diverse influences. For younger migrants (20 to 31 years) with a shorter length of stay in Singapore (≤ 4 years), who lived together with flat mates and worked full-time, dietary acculturation could be manifested in breakfast modifications towards a Western style breakfast, an increased intake of non-Indian food and a higher frequency in eating outside the home. Some participants of this group identified an increased intake of meat and fast food. Availability, taste, trust, nostalgia and mainly spare time due to working hours and changes in their household composition influenced dietary modifications of this group. Weight changes were common among this group, attended by an overall discontent with their eating situation. They appeared to be unsettled in their overall living situation. Interestingly, some modifications in diet as well as concerning further acculturation aspects in this group were conform to the findings of studies about Indian migrants in the US and Europe. This leads to the conclusion, that the presence of the Indian culture and the supply of Indian food in Singapore had a minor impact on the acculturation process of Indian migrants in this group.Women between 36 and 47 years, with a longer length of stay (≥ 7 years) in Singapore who lived together with their families and worked part-time or were housewives were found to be as preservers of the Indian traditions and eating habits and at the same time open for modifications towards a Western diet. For convenience, health and due to the children s influence they changed breakfast towards Western style items. Lunch and dinner included mostly Indian foods. Motivated by their children they started to cook non-Indian food in form of Italian, Mexican or Western dishes occasionally. Health consciousness was high among these women. Children, health and the aim to preserve their cultural identity appeared to be major concerns among these participants. The women were found to be content with their eating situation in Singapore and at the same time, they appeared to be settled in the country. Compared to younger, full-time working migrants, these women appreciate the presence of Indian culture in Singapore and the availability of Indian groceries. However, it has to be considered that these women have a longer length of stay in Singapore and furthermore they hold on higher time as well as financial resources.Finding out that the Indian men started to cook in Singapore and mothers in India influencing their children s eating behaviour in Singapore presented interesting results. Based on the traditional gender roles in Indian households, cooking is untypical for men. The fact that Indian men in this study started to cook in order to eat at least one authentic Indian meal per day, symbolized the high significance of Indian food for this men. The influence from mothers in faraway India to the eating behaviour of participants, confirmed the high respect which elderly family members experience in a collectivistic society and which goes beyond the borders.More than half of the participants (n=14) practiced diverse healthy modifications in their diet since they live in Singapore. This might be attributed to the comprehensive health communication in Singapore as well as to the fact that living away from the influencing joint family allowed especially married women to practice these modifications.The, in previous studies, often described Health immigrant effect could not be proven in this study. Instead, findings lead to the conclusion, that participants with a shorter length of stay in Singapore, as well as children of participants show a higher tendency towards a diet, which might result in diet-related disease compared to first generation Indian migrants with a longer length of stay in the country. Interrelations were identified between increased meat intake and a decrease in temple visits as well as between weight changes and the migrants overall wellbeing. These findings reflect the interaction between dietary acculturation and further acculturation aspect.All Indian migrants were able to maintain their traditional diet to certain extent, while incorporating foods and eating habits from their host country. These findings are conforming to the bidimensional model of acculturation. Beside socioeconomic factors, cultural, psychological and environmental influences affected the migrants eating behaviour. This should be considered in health promotion programs and counselling for Indian migrants.Further studies are necessary to examine the transition between the eating behaviour of first and second generation Indian migrants in order to identify evidence of a relationship between the migrants diet and related disease. These studies should include less skilled migrants as well as the children of first generation Indians. Although the present study provides the basis for a quantitative research, this should include diverse instruments to examine the eating behaviour as well as the overall acculturation of migrants in order to receive a comprehensive understanding of their dietary acculturation.Verknüpfung zu Publikationen oder weiteren Datensätzen
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