Year: 2024
Type: article
Study design: Case Report
Abstract: This case study, anchored in the Social Ecological Model (SEM), delves into the dietary behaviors of a 67-year-old first-generation Tongan woman in Utah. It uncovers pivotal themes through narrative and thematic analysis: cultural identity, economic constraints, environmental adaptation, and health perceptions. The study underscores the importance of cultural preservation, economic stability, and the centrality of traditional Tongan foods, revealing a complex interplay between cultural adaptation and health awareness. Community support and engagement emerged as crucial in sustaining healthy dietary practices amid cultural changes. The study advocates for an SEM-based framework to guide future research and develop culturally sensitive interventions to improve dietary behaviors among first-generation Tongan immigrants and similar groups and offers valuable insights. The limited generalizability of this study due to its single-case design necessitates future investigations to incorporate broader and more diverse samples to validate the findings and tailor more precise interventions.
DOI: 10.62547/tkou6982
Author: Victor Kaufusi
Language: English
Subfield: Food Science
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W4402620214