An international lens on food: evaluating barriers to accessing culturally appropriate foods

Background Phase one of this study explored how international students' cultural upbringing combined with knowledge of Canadian food landscapes impacted what they eat. The second phase was to develop and pilot programs and supports to help alleviate barriers uncovered in the research. Methods This research was structured as a community needs assessment, where data was collected by conducting semi-structured interviews, surveys and focus groups with newcomer students from various countries. Results Students prefer maintaining their ethnic dietary patterns. Barriers fell into four categories: planning meals, shopping, cooking and consumption. Social support was most effective in reducing barriers for students. In phase two, the major finding was that the most enjoyable aspect of the programming was socialization and making friends not developing food literacy. Conclusions Food is much more than a nutritious substance for international populations, it is an expression of identity, an anchor to community and family and can help with the adjustment process of immigration. As such communities with high international populations should invest time and resources into creating events where international populations can celebrate their food preferences. Replicating ethnic diets in a foreign country is a form of cultural sustainability and is highly valued among international populations. Lack of access to culturally relevant foods, lack of knowledge and lack of food literacy all contributed to creating barriers. Hence, programming that can address these barriers will allow international populations to eat healthier, which allows them to have better health outcomes overall. Creating programming that allows students to express their food identify and experiment with new foods together leads to student empowerment and social support. Social support was seen as the most salient protective factor in international students being able to overcome barriers to eating healthy. Key messages For international populations food is more than a nutritious substance; it identifies them and aids in their adjustment when immigrating. When we create social spaces where individuals are empowered to explore their connection to food we are engaging in cultural sustainability and creating social cohesion in our universities.