Nutrition and Weight Health Promotion for Eastern European Immigrants

Chamberlain College of Nursing NR222: Health and Wellness

IntroductionNutrition and weight health promotion is crucial for Eastern European immigrants in the United States due to specific cultural dietary habits that include low consumption of vegetables and fruits and high intake of saturated fats. These habits, coupled with an adaptation to unhealthy American lifestyles, often lead to a significant increase in body mass index (BMI) among this population.

Cultural Dietary Habits and Weight PerceptionEastern European immigrants often underestimate their and their children’s actual weight status. Studies have shown that this population tends to have a higher consumption of saturated fats and lower consumption of fruits and vegetables compared to other groups, which contributes to an increased risk of obesity (Lanari, 2015; Manios et al., 2015). After migrating to the U.S., these dietary patterns can lead to a transition from a low to a high BMI, reflecting a shift towards unhealthy American dietary practices (Argys, 2015).

Health Status of Eastern European ImmigrantsThe cultural category of “Eastern Europeans” mainly includes individuals born in former Eastern Soviet Union territories such as Poland, Czechoslovakia, the Russian Federation, Hungary, Belarus, and Ukraine (Lanari, 2015). Obesity is one of the largest health issues facing Eastern European immigrants in the United States. According to the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) (2015), obesity is a significant health concern among the non-hospitalized population. Data from 2011–2014 shows that the prevalence of obesity among children aged 2–5 years was 8.9%; for children aged 6–11 years, it was 17.5%; and for adolescents aged 12–19 years, it was 20.5% (NCHS, 2015).

Among adults with class-1 obesity (BMI of 30.0–34.9), the percentage increased from 17.9% in 1999–2002 to 20.6% in 2011–2014. For adults with class-2 obesity (BMI of 35.0–39.9), the percentage rose from 7.6% to 8.8%, and for those with class-3 obesity (BMI of 40 or higher), it went up from 4.9% to 6.9% during the same period (NCHS, 2015).

National Health Promotion InitiativesIn response to the increasing national levels of obesity, particularly among ethnic groups such as Eastern European immigrants, the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion (ODPHP) proposed the “Nutrition and Weight Status” health promotion objective as part of the Healthy People 2020 initiative. Launched in 2010, Healthy People 2020 introduced revised assessments of major health risks and aimed to address these risks through targeted health promotion and disease prevention strategies.

ConclusionAddressing the nutritional and weight health promotion needs of Eastern European immigrants requires culturally sensitive approaches that consider their unique dietary habits and the challenges they face in adapting to a new food environment in the U.S. By implementing effective health promotion strategies and increasing awareness of healthy dietary practices, it is possible to mitigate the risks associated with obesity and improve the overall health outcomes for this population.