(P14-061-23) Ghanaian Immigrants in New York City Eat Fruits and Vegetables Often, Starch on Most Days, and Fast Food Infrequently: A Culturally Adapted Food Frequency Questionnaire

Objectives: Dietary change is thought to increase diabetes risk in West African immigrants in the US. Qualitative research studies provide inadequate data about African immigrant diets. Despite eating home cooked meals daily, African immigrants also report eating more fast food and a lot of starch. However, current quantitative dietary assessment tools fail to characterize African immigrant diets. Therefore, this study aimed to adapt a food frequency questionnaire to reflect both African and US foods to assess dietary patterns among Ghanaian immigrants, the largest African immigrant community in New York City (NYC).

Methods: Recruitment used flyers, social media and personal outreach. Participants gave oral consent and received a $50 gift card. The questionnaire had 26 food groups, and participants were asked how often they ate each food group, and to name the three most common foods in each group.

Results: Of the 70 adult Ghanaian respondents (53% female, ages 18-68y) living in NYC, more than half (52%) had lived in the US ≥15 years, and 5.7% had type 2 diabetes.

All participants ate rice, and 83% said that they ate rice ≥3 times a week. Most common dishes were Jollof rice, plain white rice, Waakye (rice and beans). All participants ate Cereals and Grains (excluding rice) and 76% ate cereals and grains ≤3 times a week. Most common cereals and grains were oatmeal, banku (corn and cassava), and kenkey (corn).

Plantains and starchy roots are daily staples in Ghana, yet 67% of participants said they eat them ≤2 times/week. Most common were fried plantain, boiled yam, and boiled plantain. In contrast, 71% ate fruits and vegetables ≥3 times /week. Fast food was eaten infrequently where 79% said that they ate fast food ≤1 time/week or never. Most common fast foods were beef/cheese burger, french fries, chicken burger/grilled chicken sandwich. More than three quarters or 76% consumed sweet snacks ≤1 time/week or never, and 79% ate salty snacks ≤2 times/week or never.

Conclusions: This study demonstrates that Ghanaian immigrants eat fruits and vegetables often, starch on most days, and fast food, and sweet and salty snacks infrequently. To characterize immigrant foodways, culturally specific food frequency questionnaires are essential. Findings will inform future validation studies of West African immigrant dietary assessment tools.

Funding Sources: PSC-CUNY Research Award Program, 2022