Culturally appropriate food in local food systems and associated health impacts among immigrants living in high-income countries

A scoping review

Abstract

While health research typically centers on nutri­tional value and clinical health outcomes, research on food (in)security among immigrants emphasizes the crucial need for culturally appropriate food, necessitating a holistic approach that accounts for food’s cultural and social meanings. Immigrants’ participation in community-based food production and preparation, such as through immigrant-led farming and gardening, highlights the potential for inclusive local food movements to advance cultural food security. Understanding the health impacts of access to preferred local foods among immigrants is also essential to guide evidence-based public health interventions. Thus, a scoping review was conducted to synthesize current evidence that examines the alternative food networks, or AFNs, that facilitate access to locally grown, culturally appropriate food for immigrants from low/middle-income countries living in high-income countries and the associated health impacts. Three databases and Google Scholar were searched for studies published between 2000 and 2025, resulting in a total of 267 articles, of which 21 were eligible for this review. Results of the synthesis indicate that so far, access to cultur­ally appropriate food is largely supported through non-market–based strategies such as home or com­munity gardening and foraging, rather than other access points such as farmers markets. While many studies reported positive impacts on diet, exercise, mental and social well-being, their predominantly descriptive designs made it difficult to determine the impact of culturally appropriate food on immi­grants’ dietary patterns or food security. From a food sovereignty perspective, our understanding of immigrants’ access to culturally appropriate food remains incomplete. Greater attention to immi­grant foodways within AFNs is critical for advanc­ing inclusive local food movements and designing interventions that promote cultural food security and health equity.