Diet and nutritional status of West African and Caribbean adults in the United Kingdom: perspectives to inform community-based approaches to healthy eating

Reliable data on the diet and nutritional status of African and Caribbean adults in the UK is essential for the implementation of targeted interventions to prevent diseases, and to ensure health equity. This review provides an overview of diet and nutritional status, and research and intervention priorities for West African and Caribbean adults in the UK. Cross-sectional studies that compared the two groups with their counterparts in their country of origin and/or in Europe were identified from PubMed, SCOPUS, Cochrane and CINAHL electronic databases and manual searches of bibliographies. Six eligible studies were reviewed. Reported nutrient composition focused predominantly on energy, and macronutrients, with limited information on micronutrients. Carbohydrates and fats were the main sources of energy. Low quantities of non-starch polysaccharides fibre and protein were reported. Participants from rural areas in Ghana had lower average BMI and smaller waist circumference compared to their counterparts in urban Ghana and Europe. Ghanaians in Europe consumed more alcohol and were less physically active than those in the home country. The studies measured limited nutrient composition and health-related outcomes. Studies that measure a wide range of anthropometric and clinical outcomes and key micronutrients, and use objective measures of health-related risk behaviours are needed.