Understanding Cultural Diversity on Our Plates - How Does Culture Influence Our Food and Health?

In a globalised world in which migration and cultural diversity are becoming increasingly important, the influence of culture on food, our well-being and health is becoming centrally relevant. My new book, "The Impact of Cultural Food Practices on Health: How Can We Manage Nutrition & Cultural Diversity in Healthcare? "published in English and German, addresses this issue and shows how cultural eating habits can be integrated into healthcare to ensure more equitable and effective patient care.

Why cultural nutrition is important:

Food is more than just nutrition - it expresses identity, tradition and community. Yet many healthcare systems around the world ignore this central aspect. Instead, Western-centred nutrition and dietary guidelines dominate, often ignoring the diversity of culinary traditions of immigrant communities. This not only alienates patients but also leads to poorer health outcomes. One example is the lack of consideration given to traditional staple foods such as yams, cocoa yams, cassava, and plantains. Diverse, healthy vegetables, including okra from other cultures, are equally ignored in healthcare provisions. In the Igbo culture in Nigeria, yams have profound health and spiritual and cultural significance. Yet, in Western healthcare systems, such foods are rarely integrated into nutritional plans. Similarly, other cultural eating habits are often ignored in such guidelines.

Why this book?? This book is for health professionals, nursing staff, relatives, and anyone working in an intercultural context. It offers practical tips for harmonising nutrition and culture and strategies for understanding and considering cultural differences in nutrition.

Intercultural Nutrition: The Patient in Focus Intercultural nutrition focuses on patients' preferences and habits. An essential point is whether the patient's preferences and cultural habits are compatible with their treatment plan. For many migrants treated in German hospitals or nursing homes, this is a major challenge.

• Cultural barriers and compliance: Do the available food and therapeutic options match the patients' eating habits? What happens when a special diet collides with conditions such as dysphagia, intestinal paralysis, constipation or diabetes?
• Role of relatives: Relatives are central in communicating cultural needs and can build important bridges to improve compliance.
• Healthcare professionals: They are faced with the task of finding the best combinations of cultural acceptance and medical requirements to maximise the success of the treatment.

Nutrition is more than just food. It is often forgotten that health is positively influenced by nutrition and factors such as sufficient fresh air and light. However, many immigrants who live and work in Europe know little about accident prevention and health care. In my book, I explain how these aspects can be integrated into nutrition and health care to treat illnesses and take preventive action.

Closing the cultural gap in healthcare:

This publication offers practical strategies to close this gap. It shows how cultural sensitivity in nutrition policy and patient care can improve health outcomes. It combines case studies, research findings and personal experiences to show how diversity can enrich healthcare. Especially in the context of migration, culture and global mobility, it becomes clear that a ‘one-size-fits-all’ approach to nutrition policy does not work. Instead, I argue for inclusive nutrition policies that respect and promote cultural diversity.

A book for everyone who values diversity, "The Impact of Cultural Food Practices on Health: How Can We Manage Nutrition & Cultural Diversity in Healthcare?" is not just for healthcare professionals. It is aimed at anyone interested in the intersection of nutrition, culture, and health. Whether you are an educator, researcher, policymaker, or simply curious about the topic, this book offers new perspectives and practical approaches.

Join us on a journey to discover cultural diversity on our plates and understand how it influences our health. Only by considering the needs and habits of the individual can we ensure truly individualised and effective healthcare. Integrating cultural eating practices into health care is important in promoting health equity while respecting patients' cultural identities.

I invite you to read "The Impact of Cultural Food Practices on Health: How Can We Manage Nutrition & Cultural Diversity in Healthcare?” and join me in opening a dialogue about cultural sensitivity in healthcare. Let's work together to make healthcare systems more inclusive and equitable!

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