Migration and Changing Food Habit Among Ghanaian Migrant in London

Abstract

Migration and food habits are two areas with commanding interest and analysis in contemporary society. There are often many new experiences to deal with when arriving in a new country. In addition to coming to terms with a different monetary system, social stratification, language and also changing in food habits. Emigrants tend to miss their country, specific food and dishes and their taste for their traditional food following migration and together with many other aspects, the food habits change either voluntary or involuntary. The objective of this study is to investigate how migration has changed the food habits of Ghanaian migrants in London. A survey research was adopted for this study. Open and close ended questionnaire was the main instrument for data collection. The questionnaire was administered to the respondents in London. Total population for the study was 100, consisting of male and female Ghanaian migrants lived in London from the period of 5 to 20 years above. The main finding of the study was that there was a change in food habits among the Ghanaian migrants due to socio-economic factors such as availability of migrants native food, accessibility which can be due to limited market for the food as well as how affordable these Ghanaian foods were and socio-cultural factors. The study concluded that findings of the research remain important to dietary and health implications, hence the need to tailor research findings through effective dissemination to the respondents. The study therefore recommended that migrants should be encouraged to retain their best aspects of the diet of their homeland and embraced the best foods and food habits of their host country as this could be achieved with incorporation of traditional food habits into dietary guidelines of the respondents.