© Food – a fact of life 2011 Ethnic foods and ethnic diets Georgine Leung Nutrition Scientist...

© Food – a fact of life 2011

Ethnic foods and ethnic diets

Georgine Leung

Nutrition Scientist

British Nutrition Foundation


What are ethnic foods?

• Wide range of definitions

• All non-European cuisines and covers all commercially available products:

– ready meals;– cooking and table sauces;– accompaniments and snacks;– meal kits;– seasonings (powder, spices etc.).


Presence of ethnic foods in the UK

• First introduced by early migrants in the 19th Century.

• Growing immigrant and expatriate populations.

• Increased travels to Asia, the Far East and the Caribbean.

• Globalisation of the food market.


Market trends

What is the dominant cuisine of ethnic foods?

(Mintel, 2009)

UK retail sales of ethnic foods in 2008, by cuisine


Mode of consumption

What is the most popular way of consuming ethnic foods?

Retail sales of ethnic foods, by type in 2008 (Mintel 2009)

Ready meals48%


Characteristics of consumers

• Men > women

• 25 to 44 years old

• More likely to have young children

• Higher socioeconomic status

• Mostly from London

(Mintel 2009)


Emerging issues in ethnic foods

• Health and nutrition

• Ethics and animal welfare

• Cost

• Authenticity

• Communication and promotion



• Health and nutrition

- using of lower fat alternatives;- replacing fats and oils high in saturates;- cutting down on salt;- adding extra vegetables (as whole or purée);- adopting healthier cooking methods.



• Ethics and animal welfare- Halal and Kosher foods

• Cost

• Authenticity- starter kits;- develop new products and flavours;- latest travel destinations for local cuisines.

• Communication and promotion


Minority ethnic groups in the UK

• Made up 7.9% of the UK population in 2001.

• Tend to concentrate in specific areas and big cities.

• Some ethnic and religious groups are closely related.


(both adapted from Office for National Statistics 2005)


Minority ethnic groups in the UK

South Asians Black African-Caribbeans Chinese


Health profiles

Some groups have shown higher rates of coronary heart disease, stroke, Type 2 diabetes and central obesity (Health Survey for England 2004).

Certain disease risks may be tracked from childhood.


Cardiovascular disease (CVD)

Men and women from Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi groups were more likely to suffer from CHD compared with the general population (30% to 140% higher for men and around 50% to 90% higher for women).

Black African respondents had the lowest risk, while the Chinese and Black Caribbeans also had lower risks than the mainstream population.


People of African-Caribbean ethnicity are 6-7x more likely to suffer from stroke compared with the general population. South Asian and Chinese groups were also more likely to suffer from stroke than the mainstream population.


Prevalence of type 2 diabetes

(adapted from Mindell & Zaninotto 2006)


Obesity rates and cut-off points

International BMI cut-off points for overweight and obesity are 25kg/m2 and 30kg/m2 respectively.

Asians have been found to have a higher amount of body fat compared with the White population at the same BMI.

Suggested lower cut-off points for overweight and obesity to be 23kg/m2 and 27.5kg/m2 respectively.

© British Nutrition Foundation 2011

Obesity rates using different measurements

Hirani & Stamatakis 2006


Health profiles

Possible reasons for health inequalities:1. Genetic predisposition.2. Developmental programming.3. Health behaviour patterns.


Health behaviour patterns

• Minority ethnic groups have found to be more physically inactive and more likely to smoke.

• Dietary patterns and nutrient status: > Higher fruit and vegetable intakes.> Higher salt intakes (also in weaning).> More likely to breastfeed but later onset of weaning.> Lower iron and vitamin D status.


Traditional diets of minority ethnic groups

South Asians

Various types of bread and rice

Vegetables, beans and pulses (dhals), meat or seafood in a curry

A wide range of herbs and spices for flavouring

Foods commonly eaten also vary by season and between those from different regions and religious groups

African-Caribbeans

Rice, plantains, cassava, yams and potatoes

Various vegetables with meat or fish dishes

Tropical fruits

Common snacks, e.g. beef patties, salt fish fritters and fried dumplings

Important to understanding the terminology used in different sub-groups

Chinese

Noodles, buns and rice

Lots of green, leafy vegetables and funfal-type vegetables

Reliance on soy milk and soy products

Variety of fruits

Differences between types of foods consumed and cooking styles

Special occasion foods


Factors affecting food choice

• Income and socio-economic status

• Food availability and access

• Awareness of healthy eating

• Time and cooking skills

• Generation and gender

• Religious beliefs

• Food beliefs


Food/ drink Muslims Hindus Sikhs Seventh-day Adventist

Church

Rastafari Movement

Buddhists

Eggs (to some) (to some)

Milk and yogurt

(to some) (to some) (to some)

Cheese (not with rennet)

(not with rennet)

(to some)

Pork (to some)

Beef Halal only* (to some)

Lamb Halal only* (to some) (to some)

Chicken Halal only* (to some) (to some) (to some)

Fish (with fins and scales)

(with fins and scales)

(to some) (with fins and scales)

(to some)

Alcohol

Fasting Ramadan: no food or liquid from sunrise

to sunset

On special occasions to

personal Gods

(adapted from de Wet et al. 1995)

A guide to religious and cultural influences on diet


Food beliefs

For example, Chinese communities also consider balancing the ‘yin’ (coldness) and ‘yang’ (hotness) of the body as particularly important.

Yin or yang?


Key characteristics to successful nutritional interventions

• tailoring interventions to specific minority ethnic groups;• understanding the lifestyles of different minority ethnic groups

and targeting sub-groups;• recognising the relationships between individuals, families and

households;• reinforcing changes in knowledge, behaviours and attitudes by

using a variety of activities;• involving a trusted and recognised community worker health

professionals from the same ethnic background;• using approaches such as community development and peer

education which have proven relatively successful.

(adapted from Stockley 2009)


Supporting resources

Video podcast available on our Youtube channel:www.youtube.com/britishnutrition


Further reading

Ethnic foods in the UKLeung G (2010) Nutrition Bulletin 35:226-234.

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1467-3010.2010.01840.x/abstract

Diets of minority ethnic groups in the UK: influence on chronic disease risk and implications for prevention

Leung G and Stanner S (2011) Nutriton Bulletin 36:161-198

Email: [email protected]


For further information, go to:

www.nutrition.org.uk

www.foodafactoflife.org.uk

© Food – a fact of life 2011 Ethnic foods and ethnic diets Georgine Leung Nutrition Scientist...

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