Cultural Influences on Nutrition and Health Disparities Among African Americans
Summary
African American dietary patterns and health outcomes are shaped by a complex interplay of historical, social and cultural factors. Legacies of structural discrimination and economic marginalisation have contributed to limited access to affordable, nutritious food and to urban food deserts. Traditional soul food practices, rooted in West African culinary heritage and adapted through generations, provide social cohesion and cultural identity but often emphasise energy-dense ingredients. Interactions between ethnic traditions and mainstream dietary norms have led to both health-promoting adaptations and persistence of dietary behaviours linked to obesity, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Psychosocial influences such as social support, self-efficacy and community engagement affect food choices and the adoption of nutrition guidelines. Interventions that integrate cultural values, address systemic barriers and harness community strengths have shown promise in reducing disparities and improving diet quality among African Americans.
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Technical terms
Structural racism: Systemic practices and policies that produce and reinforce racial inequities in socioeconomic resources and health.
Food desert: Urban or rural area with limited access to affordable, nutritious food retailers.
Culturally adapted intervention: Health programme modified to align with the values, preferences and experiences of a specific cultural group.
Self-efficacy: An individual’s confidence in their ability to perform behaviours necessary to achieve desired outcomes, such as healthy eating.
References
- Development of a Culturally Adapted Dietary Intervention to Reduce Alzheimer’s Disease Risk among Older Black Adults. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2023).
- Nutrition interventions addressing structural racism: a scoping review. Nutrition Research Reviews (2022).
- The Influence of Ethnic and Mainstream Cultures on African Americans’ Health Behaviors: A Qualitative Study. Behavioral Sciences (2017).
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