Shah et al

year

2015

Aim

To study the association between acculturation and obesity.

Participants

A random sample of 1,375 South Asian male migrant workers in the UAE. Over half of them had lived in the UAE for six or more years.

Results

• Migrant workers in the UAE had significantly higher body

mass index (BMI) than the comparison group.

• The longer they stayed in the UAE, the higher their BMI

became.

• Prevalence of obesity was higher in migrants than in

the comparison group;

Conclusion

Acculturation may contribute to unhealthy eating

behaviours, resulting in obesity and being overweight. This

may be explained by the fact that migrants are moving into

a culture that promotes more unhealthy eating behaviour,

compared to their culture of origin.