Culture, food, diet and diabetes: the West Indian perspective

The influence of culture on attitudes to food and eating as well as responses to professional dietary advice among West Indians with diabetes are discussed. The data were collected as part of an exploratory qualitative study, conducted among 12 West Indian and 12 White British people with Type 2 diabetes, which aimed to investigate their health beliefs and service use experience. The study showed that, when compared with their White British counterparts, West Indians encountered problems in following the dietary advice provided, because it did not accommodate their traditional foods or methods of cooking. The West Indian interviewees also had their own terms for classifying foodstuff and some were unfamiliar with food groups such as fibre. They had food beliefs, concerns about food and health, and rules regarding ‘good food’, all of which influenced their reactions to professional advice. Further research on the West Indian food culture would facilitate the development of culturally relevant resources and information for health professionals working with West Indians.