“In China, I live to eat. Here, I eat to live”

Abstract

The population of international students in Canadian post-secondary institutions, including in dietetic programs, is growing. In addition to academic stress, international students must cope with culture change and acculturative stress, which has been found to increase the prevalence of problematic eating and body image concerns among this population. Research indicates that problematic eating and body image concerns may also be relatively high among dietetic students due, in part, to the emphasis on body weight management and the narrow representations of healthy eating, and the disciplinary processes of professional socialization that are characteristic of dietetic education. For international dietetic students, vulnerability to problematic eating and body image concerns may be particularly acute, given their position as both dietetic and international students. However, little is known about the experiences of this population, and if, how and to what extent being an international dietetic student may impact on eating and body image concerns, or what efforts may be needed to prevent and support those experiencing these concerns. This research used the EAT-26 questionnaire and one-on- one, semi-structured interviews to explore how culture change impacts eating and body image among Mandarin-speaking, Chinese international dietetic students. Results indicate that culture change has a significant impact on the relationships to food and on eating and body image among the study population. Further research is needed to elucidate the impacts of culture change, and how dietetic educators may best support international dietetic students.