Dietary Acculturation and the Nutritional Health and Well-Being of Sub-Saharan African Immigrants Living in Higher-Income Countries: A Scoping Review.

Globalization has contributed to a significant rise in intercontinental migration from Africa, a trend expected to continue given the ongoing political and economic challenges in many African countries and the perceived opportunities in higher-income Western nations. These migration patterns threaten the preservation of valuable cultural practices and intergenerational food knowledge due to limited resources and supports for African families in host countries. While a considerable body of research exists on immigrant health and dietary acculturation broadly, there remains a notable gap in literature focusing specifically on the experiences of Sub-Saharan African immigrants in higher-income countries. This scoping review therefore aims to: (1) examine existing literature on the nutritional health and social wellbeing of Africans immigrants in higher-income countries; (2) explore the relationships between dietary behaviours, social norms, cultural practices and acculturation; and (3) identify priorities for future research, policy and interventions. Three online databases (PubMed, Scopus and PsycINFO) were utilized to identify relevant studies, yielding in 343 articles. These articles were uploaded into Covidence for screening, resulting in 44 studies included in the final extraction and analysis. Four key themes emerged, highlighting the nutritional, cultural, and social challenges that affect Sub-Saharan African immigrants' integration into new food environments. These interrelated challenges can hinder African immigrants' efforts to maintain cultural food practices and contribute to difficulties in establishing a sense of belonging in their host countries. Findings highlighted the need for further research on the lived experiences of Sub-Saharan African immigrants with an emphasis on culturally informed strategies to support their health, dietary wellbeing, and social inclusion.