Wednesday 4/03/2026
Photo: Katarina Wolnik Vera
Text: Txabi Anastasio, Irina Callau, Toni Galindo and Camila Villalta
Migrating is not just about changing countries. It means changing languages, social codes, schedules, tastes, and ways of understanding the body. In recent years, various studies have pointed out that migration processes can influence the onset or maintenance of eating disorders (EDs), especially when combined with stress, pressure to fit in, and the feeling of not belonging (Song et al., 2023).
At the same time, research also shows that migration is not, in itself, a risk factor. The impact depends on how the experience is lived, the support available, and the opportunities for integration.
From “this is what I’ve always eaten” to “this is how they eat here”
Food is not just nutrition: it is culture, memory, and connection. When a person migrates, they may lose familiar foods, shared rituals, and clear references about what, how, and when to eat. Sometimes, adapting means trying to “eat like they do here” in order to feel part of the new environment.
Recent literature describes some processes that can influence the relationship with food in migratory contexts (Henning et al., 2025; Kalantzis et al., 2023):
- Cultural adaptation stress: adapting to new social norms can create constant tension. In some people, that tension is channeled through the body or food control.
- Pressure from new body ideals: Physical standards in the host country may differ from those in the country of origin. Continuous exposure to these models can increase body dissatisfaction (Quiñones et al., 2022).
- Feeling of being “between two worlds”: When family values and those of the environment clash, identity can feel fragmented. This feeling of not quite fitting in anywhere can increase emotional distress.
- Difficulties in asking for help: expressing complex emotions in a language that is not one’s own can be very difficult. This can delay the search for professional support or cause the distress to go unnoticed (Alegría et al., 2017).
Overall, studies emphasize that it is not migration itself that explains the risk, but rather the combination of stress, social pressure, discrimination, and a lack of culturally adapted resources (Henning et al., 2025).
Body, identity, and belonging
Adolescence and young adulthood are key stages for building identity. When this process occurs in a migratory context, the task can be more difficult: family traditions, new social norms, and different ways of understanding the body and food must be negotiated.
Some recent research indicates that maintaining aspects of one’s culture of origin while integrating elements of the new context (known as bicultural integration) is associated with greater psychological well-being than attempting to erase one’s previous culture or feeling disconnected from both (Kalantzis et al., 2023; Song et al., 2023).
It has also been observed that perceived discrimination and pressure to “fit in” can increase emotional vulnerability, which at the same time can influence one’s relationship with food and the body (Quiñones et al., 2022).
In this sense, “eating in another language” is not just about translating words. It is about learning new rules about which bodies are accepted, which foods are valued, and which habits are normal. When this adaptation is experienced with loneliness or extreme self-demand, food can become a space in which to express internal conflict.
Guidelines for safer relationships in migration contexts
Recent evidence suggests that migration should not be viewed as a problem, but rather as a context that may require specific support (Henning et al., 2025). Some guidelines that emerge from the research are:
- Promote culturally sensitive spaces: mental health professionals should take into account the cultural context, traditional dietary practices, and language of the individual in order to provide more appropriate care (Alegría et al., 2017).
- Strengthen support networks: maintaining ties with the community of origin and creating new networks in the host country can act as a protective factor against isolation (Rodgers et al., 2023).
- Talk openly about body ideals: challenging the idea that there is only one “correct” body type can reduce the pressure many migrants feel when comparing themselves to new standards (Song et al., 2023).
- Provide accessible information: having resources on mental health and nutrition in different languages can lower barriers and encourage early help-seeking (Alegría et al., 2022).
Guidelines for managing the relationship with food in migration contexts
Migration does not necessarily have to become a risk factor, but it can make a pre-existing vulnerability more visible. Recent evidence does not suggest “avoiding” cultural adaptation, but rather accompanying it consciously and with adequate support (Alegría et al., 2017; Henning et al., 2025). Some recommendations are:
- Regulate self-imposed demands: adapting takes time. It is not necessary to immediately “fit in” with all the norms of the new environment, including those related to body image or eating habits. Reducing the pressure to meet external expectations can lessen discomfort.
- Maintain your own rituals: eating traditional dishes, maintaining schedules, or eating habits from your culture of origin can offer a sense of continuity and belonging. Integration does not mean giving up the past, but rather combining it in a flexible way (Quiñones et al., 2022).
- Talk about cultural conflict: putting into words the feeling of being “between two worlds” helps prevent discomfort from being expressed solely through the body or food. Sharing these experiences with trusted individuals can ease the emotional burden.
- Question dominant body ideals: remembering that physical standards change according to culture and time can help put the pressure to conform to a single model into perspective.
- Seek support in your own language whenever possible: expressing complex emotions in your native language often facilitates understanding and therapeutic connection.
- Pay attention to warning signs: sudden changes in eating habits, intense fear of gaining weight, constant guilt when eating, or social isolation are signs that deserve attention. Detecting them early promotes earlier and more effective intervention.
Essentially, “eating in another language” can involve moments of confusion, but also opportunities to build a broader and more flexible identity. With support, safe spaces, and a compassionate view of the migration process itself, the relationship with food can become a bridge between cultures rather than an internal battlefield.
Bibliographic references:
- Alegría, M., Álvarez, K., & DiMarzio, K. (2017). Immigration and Mental Health. Current epidemiology reports, 4(2), 145–155. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40471-017-0111-2
- Henning, T., Parton, D. M., Perez, M., Pham, A., Haynos, A. F., & Mazzeo, S. E. (2025). Acculturative stress, body image ideals, body dissatisfaction, and eating pathology among Black, Asian, and Latina women. Eating behaviors, 57, 101992. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eatbeh.2025.101992
- Kalantzis, M. A., Chung Xiann Lim, S., Dauber, A. K., Studer-Perez, E. I., Silverman, Z. J., & O’Brien, W. H. (2023). Acculturative stress and eating disorder psychopathology: A meta-analysis. Eating behaviors, 48, 101694. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eatbeh.2022.101694
- Song, S., Stern, C. M., Deitsch, T., & Sala, M. (2023). Acculturation and eating disorders: a systematic review. Eating and weight disorders : EWD, 28(1), 39. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40519-023-01563-2
- Quiñones, I. C., Herbozo, S., & Haedt-Matt, A. A. (2022). Body dissatisfaction among ethnic subgroups of Latin women: An examination of acculturative stress and ethnic identity. Body image, 41, 272–283. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.bodyim.2022.03.006