Food consumption pattern of Ghanaians living in Accra and london

Aim: To compare food consumption pattern of a first generation Ghanaian population in London with an urban population in Accra, Ghana Methods: Eighty participants aged 25-60 years were recruited in London and matched for age, gender and occupation to 160 participants in Accra. Dietary intake was assessed with a food-frequency checklist. A self-administered questionnaire was used to acquire information on health and lifestyle determinants. Results: Consumption of most traditional Ghanaian staples, vegetables and cooking oils in London was less frequent. In addition, consumption of meat in London was significantly frequent in London while consumption of fish was lower. New foods had been adopted and substitutions of some foods were evident. Conclusions: These differences suggest that migrants may adopt some habits of the host country that may be healthy and protective against cardiovascular disease risk but also develop other unhealthy habits that may have adverse effect on health