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Dietary acculturation among the South-Asian Surinamese population in the Netherlands: the HELIUS study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 April 2016

Qaisar Raza*
Affiliation:
Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, Kamer O534, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Mary Nicolaou
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Marieke B Snijder
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Karien Stronks
Affiliation:
Department of Public Health, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Jacob C Seidell
Affiliation:
Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, Kamer O534, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands
*
* Corresponding author: Email q.raza@vu.nl
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Abstract

Objective

To test Koctürk’s model of dietary change among South-Asian Surinamese in the Netherlands. The model categorizes foods into staple, complementary and accessory foods and postulates that dietary change after migration begins with accessory foods while foods associated with ethnic identity (staple foods) change at a slower rate.

Design

Cross-sectional data from the HELIUS study. Dietary intake was assessed with an FFQ. Acculturation was based on social contacts and sense of belonging and was translated into four strategies of acculturation: assimilation, integration, separation and marginalization. Other indicators of acculturation included residence duration, age at migration and migration generation status.

Setting

Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Subjects

Participants of Dutch (n 1456) and South-Asian Surinamese origin (n 968).

Results

Across all acculturation strategies, South-Asian Surinamese participants reported significantly higher intakes of rice (staple food) and chicken (complementary food) and significantly lower intakes of red meat and vegetables (complementary foods) and cookies and sweets (accessory food) than Dutch participants. Men, second-generation and assimilated South-Asian Surinamese were inclined towards Dutch foods such as potato, pasta and red meat. Accessory foods like fruits showed variation across acculturation strategies.

Conclusions

Consistent with the Koctürk model, the intake of staple foods was stable among South-Asian Surinamese irrespective of acculturation strategy while the intake of accessory foods like fruit varied. Contrary to expectations, South-Asian Surinamese showed consistently high intakes of complementary foods like chicken and fish irrespective of acculturation strategy. Public health practitioners should take into consideration the complex and dynamic nature of dietary acculturation.

Information

Type
Research Papers
Copyright
Copyright © The Authors 2016 
Figure 0

Table 1 Characteristics of Dutch and South-Asian Surinamese participants, stratified by gender; HELIUS (Healthy Life in an Urban Setting) study, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, January 2011–December 2013

Figure 1

Table 2 Differences in the frequency of intake of staple, complementary and accessory foods (d/week) among South-Asian Surinamese men and women and Dutch men and women; HELIUS (Healthy Life in an Urban Setting) study, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, January 2011–December 2013

Figure 2

Table 3 Frequency of intake of staple, complementary and accessory foods (d/week) among South-Asian Surinamese men and women with respect to integration, residence years, age of migration and generation status, as compared with Dutch men and women; HELIUS (Healthy Life in an Urban Setting) study, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, January 2011–December 2013

Figure 3

Table 4 Differences in intake of staple, complementary and accessory foods (d/week) across acculturation strategies among South-Asian Surinamese men and women, as compared with Dutch men and women, adjusted for age and educational level (Dutch are taken as reference); HELIUS (Healthy Life in an Urban Setting) study, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, January 2011–December 2013