--- title: "Festival foods in the immigrant diet. | Sutter Health" description: "This paper explores the role that festival foods, foods that were once eaten a few times a year & on special occasions, play in the regular diet of immigrants." url: "https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/festival-foods-in-the-immigrant-diet-1055312568" --- 1. [Home](https://www.sutterhealth.org/) / 2. [Research](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research) / 3. [Research publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications) / 4. Festival foods in the immigrant diet. # Festival foods in the immigrant diet. Azar KM, Chen E, Holland AT, & Palaniappan LP _J Immigr Minor Health. 15(5):953-60. doi: 10.1007/s10903-012-9705-4_ 2013-10-15 ## Abstract Dietary acculturation for immigrant groups has largely been attributed to the "Westernization" of indigenous diets, as characterized by an increased consumption of unhealthy American foods (i.e., fast foods , hamburgers). However, acculturation and adoption of western dietary habits may not fully explain new dietary patterns among racial/ethnic minority immigrants . The immigrant diet may change in such a way that it elaborates on specific ethnic traditions in addition to the incorporation of Western food habits. In this paper, we explore the role that festival foods , those foods that were once eaten a few times a year and on special occasions, play in the regular diet of immigrants to the US. This paper will focus on the overconsumption of ethnic festival foods , which are often high in carbohydrates, animal protein, sugar and fat, as opposed to Western "junk" food , as an explanation for the increased risk of cardiometabolic disorders among new immigrant groups. [PubMed abstract](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=Festival+Foods+in+the+Immigrant+Diet) ![Kristen M J Azar, RN, MSN, MPH](https://dyn.mktgcdn.com/p/rFmyR1kiX8JzE5-XNwup0gVC1GRaVTlH7oSDlG0Tr5A/fit=crop,gravity=auto,dpr=2,width=188,height=250,quality=100) Kristen M J Azar, RN, MSN, MPH Principal investigator [View profile](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/investigators/kristen-m-j-azar-rn-msn-mph-1049680985) ## Research topics - [Disease Management](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Disease+Management%5C%22%22) - [Food and Nutrition](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?query=%22%5C%22Food+and+Nutrition%5C%22%22) ## Related publications [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) - Publication ### [Dietary pattern change and acculturation of Chinese Americans in Pennsylvania.](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/diet-changes-and-acculturation-chinese-ams-in-pa-1055312864) Lv N, Cason KL. 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Clin Gastroenterol Hepatol. 3(7):679-86. 2005 Jul 01 [View all publications](https://www.sutterhealth.org/research-search-results?verticalKey=research_publication) ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalOrganization","name":"Sutter Health","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/#medicalorganization","url":"https://www.sutterhealth.org","logo":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/static/images/sutter-health-logo.svg","address":{"@type":"PostalAddress","streetAddress":"2200 River Plaza Drive","addressLocality":"Sacramento","addressRegion":"CA","postalCode":"95833","addressCountry":"US"},"areaServed":{"@type":"AdministrativeArea","name":"California"},"sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/SutterHealth","https://www.instagram.com/sutterhealth/","https://x.com/SutterHealth","https://www.youtube.com/sutterhealth","https://www.linkedin.com/company/sutter-health","https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sutter_Health"]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/festival-foods-in-the-immigrant-diet-1055312568#breadcrumblist","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Research","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Research publications","item":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":4,"name":"Festival foods in the immigrant diet."}]} ``` ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"MedicalScholarlyArticle","@id":"https://www.sutterhealth.org/research/publications/festival-foods-in-the-immigrant-diet-1055312568#medicalscholarlyarticle","name":"Festival foods in the immigrant diet.","headline":"Festival foods in the immigrant diet.","abstract":"Dietary acculturation for immigrant groups has largely been attributed to the \"Westernization\" of indigenous diets, as characterized by an increased consumption of unhealthy American foods (i.e., fast foods, hamburgers). However, acculturation and adoption of western dietary habits may not fully explain new dietary patterns among racial/ethnic minority immigrants. The immigrantdiet may change in such a way that it elaborates on specific ethnic traditions in addition to the incorporation of Western food habits. In this paper, we explore the role that festivalfoods, those foods that were once eaten a few times a year and on special occasions, play in the regular diet of immigrants to the US. 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