Food Is a Way to Fit in and Get Fat

I've noticed from interviews with children of immigrants that some have embarassed to eat foods from their culture in front of others compared to what is considered "normal" American fare.

A recent study is showing that there's a health price people are paying for that. According to a researcher at the University of Washington, immigrants and their children gain weight within 15 years of moving to the United States and some of them approach levels of obesity. That's the word from Sapna Cheryan, who is also a psychologist.

Her study shows that because immigrants and their children want to "fit in" to American culture, they turn to junk food and other popular meals over goods that relate to their families' home countries.

As reported by msnbc.com: "The study, which surveyed Asian American and white college students, found children of immigrants are often embarrassed by consuming food from their home country in front of others. Sixty-eight percent of the Asian-American respondents recalled food-related insecurities around white peple while growing up, such as awkwardness about using chopsticks and the custom of eating all of the animal (chicken feet, fish eyes, and pork heads.) Only 27 percent of white respondents remembered embarassing food practices from childhood."

If you're interested in reading the study, you can find it in the June issue of the journal of Psychological Science.