What Changes upon Resettlement: Understanding Difference in Pre- and Post-resettlement Dietary Habits among South-Asian Refugees

This study was conducted with the Montagnard refugee women (n = 42) to understand their pre-resettlement living conditions and estimate pre- and post-resettlement differences in their intake of major food groups. In-depth interviews were conducted with the participants in their homes by multilingual Montagnard women fluent in English and their tribal languages. Most of the participants did not receive education and 39% reported household incomes of $500 or less per month. Participants had a very limited or no experience in weekly food shopping and budgeting before moving to the United States. In comparison of food habits, intake of different types of meat increased upon resettlement (P < .05). Pre-resettlement food shortage experience and receiving >= $500 in SNAP increased the odds of high meat intake. Due to a significant shift in food choices and environment, refugees are at a higher risk of experiencing poor health after moving to the United States.