Effects of dietary acculturation to Malaysian who migrate to the region of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

• Main Author: Abu Bakar, Ibrahim
• Format: Article
• Language: English; English; English
• Published: IOP Publishing 2021
• Subjects: AC Collections. Series. Collected works
• Online Access: http://irep.iium.edu.my/90256/2/ARCoFS%202021%20Book%20of%20Abstract.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/90256/5/90256_Effects%20of%20dietary%20acculturation%20to%20Malaysian.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/90256/6/90256_Effects%20of%20dietary%20acculturation%20to%20Malaysian_Scopus.pdf; http://irep.iium.edu.my/90256/

Abstract. Migration is a global phenomenon in modern world. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of dietary acculturation to Malaysians who migrate to the region of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia compared to their traditional dietary patterns in Malaysia. About 122 healthy Malaysians immigrating respondents were conveniently recruited for this study and their dietary patterns before and after migration were evaluated using specific self-administered questionnaire. All the data were then analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) Windows program version 17.0. The results showed that the frequency of respondents who irregularly take their meals is increased from 9.8% (in Malaysia) to 41.8% (in Saudi Arabia). Before migration, about 95.1% to 98.4% of the respondents took their breakfast, lunch and dinner every day but after migration, only 52.5% to 86.9% of them took breakfast, lunch and dinner every day. All demographic factors which are; gender, marital status, age range, level of education, occupation in Saudi Arabia, length of stay in Saudi Arabia and factor of stay with whom in Saudi Arabia showed significant (P<0.05) effects on regularity of meals intake in Saudi Arabia. The study showed that Malaysian immigrants in Saudi Arabia affected with dietary acculturation.