Dietary acculturation among Asian Indian international students at two southern universities

Asian Indians are one of the fastest-growing immigrant populations in the United States (US). Adverse health effects of moving from one's country of origin are widespread among immigrant groups. This study was designed to explore dietary patterns among Asian Indian international students at two universities in the southern US. The electronically administered survey included items on demographics, dietary patterns, and food behaviors. Mean age of the 97 respondents was 24.5 +/- 3.1 years. Males accounted for 78.4% (n = 76) of participants. Most students were single, lived in apartments, and had Indian roommates. Length of residence in the US was 1.5 +/- 1.8 years. Overall, participants were found to be moderately acculturated to US foods and dietary practices. Students residing in the US for at least two years had higher dietary acculturation scores than those who reported being in the country less than one year (p = .022). Dietary acculturation scores were positively associated with respondents' perceived adaptation to American food culture (p = .020), perceived "excellent" English-speaking skills (p = .049), and frequency of eating on campus (p = .038). Women reported eating more traditional Indian foods than men (p = .023). Nutritionists/Dietitians on college campuses may use information from this study to provide Indian students with culturally competent health strategies that involve maintaining traditional eating patterns while integrating healthy Western foods into the diet.