When people move to a new country, they often start eating differently—usually eating more processed foods and less of their traditional meals. A new review of 30 studies from around the world shows this dietary shift happens to many immigrant groups and can increase their risk of weight gain, diabetes, and heart disease. The good news? Factors like how long someone has lived in their new country, their age, money, and access to healthy food all play a role in these changes. Understanding these patterns could help create better health programs that respect people’s cultural food traditions while helping them stay healthy in their new homes.

The Quick Take

  • What they studied: How and why immigrants change their eating habits after moving to a new country, and what health problems this might cause
  • Who participated: Researchers looked at 30 different studies about immigrant groups from various countries around the world published between 2000 and 2024
  • Key finding: Immigrants typically eat 15-20% more processed and unhealthy foods and 10-15% less whole grains and vegetables after moving. This change is linked to a 5-10% increase in obesity and a 7-12% increase in type 2 diabetes
  • What it means for you: If you’re an immigrant or know someone who is, be aware that changing food environments can affect health. The good news is that staying connected to traditional healthy foods while adapting to your new country may help prevent these health problems

The Research Details

This is a review study, meaning researchers didn’t do their own experiment. Instead, they carefully read and summarized 30 other studies about how immigrants’ eating habits change. They searched three major scientific databases for studies published over 24 years (2000-2024) and picked the ones that directly looked at how people’s diets changed after moving and how that affected their health.

The researchers looked for patterns across all these different studies to understand what was happening to immigrant groups worldwide. They identified common themes, like which foods people started eating more or less of, and what factors made these changes happen faster or slower.

This approach is important because it brings together information from many different countries and immigrant groups. Instead of just looking at one study, combining results from 30 studies gives us a much clearer picture of what’s really happening. This helps doctors and public health workers understand the real challenges immigrants face with food and health.

This is a review of existing research rather than a brand-new study, so it’s only as good as the studies it includes. The researchers were careful to look at studies specifically about diet changes and health outcomes, which makes the findings more reliable. However, the review notes that more long-term studies are needed, especially with immigrant groups that haven’t been studied much yet. The findings show consistent patterns across many studies, which makes them more trustworthy.

What the Results Show

The research shows a clear pattern: when immigrants move to a new country, they eat more processed and unhealthy foods (about 15-20% more) and less of their traditional healthy foods like whole grains, beans, and fresh vegetables (about 10-15% less). This dietary shift happens across many different immigrant groups and countries.

These eating changes come with real health consequences. Immigrants show a 5-10% increase in obesity rates and a 7-12% increase in type 2 diabetes after moving. They also face higher risks of heart disease. These aren’t small changes—they represent significant health challenges for immigrant communities.

Interestingly, the research found that several factors influence how quickly and severely these dietary changes happen. People who have lived in their new country for 1-5 years show the biggest changes. Younger people (ages 20-30) who move tend to change their eating habits more than older immigrants. People with less money and those living in areas with fewer healthy food options experience bigger dietary shifts.

The review also discovered something interesting about the gut bacteria of immigrants. The bacteria living in people’s digestive systems actually change when their diet changes, which could be another way that dietary shifts affect health. This suggests the problem goes deeper than just eating different foods—it actually changes how the body processes food. Additionally, health literacy (understanding nutrition and health) plays an important role in whether immigrants maintain healthy eating habits or adopt unhealthy ones.

This review confirms what smaller studies have suggested for years: immigrants do change their eating habits. However, by looking at 30 studies together, researchers now have stronger evidence that this is a widespread pattern affecting many different groups. The specific percentages (15-20% increase in processed foods, 5-10% increase in obesity) give us clearer numbers than we had before. The research also adds new information about gut bacteria changes, which is an emerging area of study.

This review has some important limitations to understand. First, it only looked at studies already published, so if important research exists that wasn’t published, it’s missing. Second, many immigrant groups haven’t been well-studied, so the findings might not apply equally to everyone. Third, most studies were short-term, so we don’t know what happens to immigrants’ health over many years. Finally, the review couldn’t look at every detail of each study the same way, since different studies measured things differently.

The Bottom Line

Based on this evidence, health workers should create programs that help immigrants maintain their traditional healthy foods while adapting to their new country (high confidence). Communities should work to improve access to affordable, healthy traditional foods in immigrant neighborhoods (moderate-to-high confidence). Immigrants and their families should be aware that dietary changes happen naturally after moving and try to keep traditional healthy foods in their diet (moderate confidence). Schools and workplaces in areas with many immigrants should offer culturally appropriate healthy food options (moderate confidence).

This research is most important for immigrants and their families, especially those who have recently moved (within 1-5 years) or are planning to move. Healthcare providers working with immigrant communities should pay special attention to diet and weight changes. Public health officials and policymakers should use this information to create better food and health programs. Community organizations serving immigrants should consider offering nutrition education that respects cultural food traditions. People in the food industry and restaurant owners in immigrant communities can use this information to offer healthier options.

Dietary changes and their health effects don’t happen overnight. The research shows the biggest changes occur in the first 1-5 years after moving. Weight gain and diabetes risk can develop within a few years of dietary changes, though the exact timeline varies by person. Health improvements from maintaining traditional diets or making healthier food choices could take several months to a year to become noticeable.

Want to Apply This Research?

  • Track weekly servings of traditional foods from your home country versus processed foods. Set a goal like ’eat at least 3 traditional home-country meals per week’ and log which traditional foods you eat and how often you eat processed foods
  • Use the app to find recipes for healthy traditional foods from your culture and set reminders to cook these meals. Create a shopping list feature that helps you find stores near you that sell ingredients from your home country
  • Monitor your weight, energy levels, and how you feel monthly. Track which traditional foods you’re eating regularly and identify barriers to eating them (like cost or availability). Set quarterly goals to maintain or increase traditional healthy foods in your diet while gradually reducing processed foods

This review summarizes research about dietary changes in immigrant populations and associated health risks. It is not medical advice. If you are an immigrant concerned about your diet or health, please consult with your healthcare provider or a registered dietitian who understands your cultural background. Individual health outcomes vary based on many factors beyond diet. This information is meant to increase awareness and support public health discussions, not to replace professional medical guidance.