Cultural factors influencing the eating behaviours of type 2 diabetes in the British South-Asian population: a scoping review of the literature

The prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Britain is rising, with south-Asians being particularly vulnerable. This is attributed to cultural differences affecting south-Asians’ health behaviours in the risk and management of T2DM. Understanding cultural influences on eating practices is therefore vital in improving health behaviours in the South-Asian community and combatting the increasing burden of T2DM. A scoping literature review was conducted for primary studies conducted in Britain, qualitatively examining South-Asians’ attitudes, beliefs and behaviours regarding their eating practices in the risk and management of T2DM. searches were conducted between January 2000 and December 2022 on PubMed, Applied Social Sciences Index & Abstracts, Scopus, and International Bibliography of the Social Sciences. An inductive grounded theory approach was applied for data synthesis and analysis. 19 primary studies were identified. Stigma, lack of awareness, gender and food norms and culturally inappropriate healthcare advice prevented healthy eating behaviours. Family involvement and tailoring advice to south-Asian lifestyles enabled healthy eating. Varying attitudes existed between participants of differing age, generation, and education levels. A multi-interventional approach is needed to improve awareness, mitigate stigma, and make healthy eating more accessible to south-Asians. Health professionals require improved understanding of the cultural context. Further research is recommended to explore social factors affecting South-Asians’ health behaviours and ensure interventions are contextually suitable.