Food behaviours and eating habits among Sub-Saharan African migrant mothers of school aged children in South Australia

Aims: To explore dietary practices among Sub-Saharan African migrant mothers of school aged children in South Australia. Methods: Qualitative inquiry using face-to-face interviews with fifteen mothers in South Australia. Participants were sampled using snowballing. Data were audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, coded, and analysed thematically. Results: This study explored food behaviours and eating habits among Sub-Saharan African migrant mothers of school aged children in South Australia. Four broad themes were identified that characterized participants’ food behaviours and eating habits including maintenance of traditional dietary habits, changes in traditional dietary practices, availability and convenience of non-traditional foods, and cultural food availability and access. This study found that although mothers were committed to maintaining eating their traditional foods, they were finding it increasingly difficult to maintain such habits for several reasons. Participants reported experiencing challenges because of the increasing demands for westernized foods by their children, while some pushed back such demands, others felt helpless and relented to the demands of their children. There were also views which showed that food environments, food systems, access, and availability of traditional foods in Australia have influenced their dietary practices. Conclusion: Appropriately tailored healthy eating health promotion actions targeting school aged children and mothers in this population need to consider their food contexts. Promoting the use of and capitalizing on traditional diets might be useful in this community when developing healthy eating programs.