Taste and Food Preferences of the Hungarian Roma Population.

Judit Diószegi,Péter Pikó,Róza Ádány,János Sándor,Erand Llanaj,Zsigmond Kósa

doi:10.3389/fpubh.2020.00359

Abstract

Background: In Central, Eastern, and Southern Europe, the Roma population is the largest and the most vulnerable and disadvantaged minority. Behind their unfavorable health status, harmful health behaviors, such as unhealthy diet is also supposed to exist.Methods: In the framework of a complex health study, individuals from the Hungarian general (n = 410) and Roma populations (n = 387) were randomly selected. In the survey portion of the study, sweet, fat, salty, and bitter taste preferences were ascertained by question items measuring taste and food preferences. Preference for sweet vs. salty foods was also analyzed. Questions from the Hungarian version of the European Health Interview Survey were included, to characterize fruit and vegetable consumption and to determine the quantity of sugars added to consumed foods and beverages and the frequency of salting without tasting the food. Data were analyzed using STATA 9.0 statistical software.Results: Roma reported significantly less frequent consumption of fresh fruits (OR = 1.70, 95% CI: 1.22–2.35, p = 0.002) and vegetables (OR = 1.74, 95% CI: 1.25–2.41, p = 0.001) than the Hungarian subjects. Representatives of the Hungarian Roma population reported adding higher quantities of sugars to consumed foods and beverages (OR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.10–2.56, p = 0.016) and preferred sweet snacks vs. salty ones (OR = 0.53 for salty snacks, 95% CI: 0.37–0.78, p = 0.001) and had higher preferences for sweet foods (OR = 1.51, 95% CI: 1.08–2.11, p = 0.015). They salted their food without tasting it more often (OR = 2.18, 95% CI: 1.64–2.88, p < 0.001). They had lower preferences for bitter tasting raw kohlrabi (OR = 0.56, 95% CI: 0.41–0.80, p = 0.001), grapefruit (OR = 0.47, 95% CI: 0.34–0.64, p < 0.001), black coffee (OR = 0.50, 95% CI: 0.34–0.73, p < 0.001), and dark chocolate (OR = 0.63, 95% CI: 0.46–0.84, p = 0.006). No significant results in terms of ethnicity were found on for fatty and salty food preference and other bitter-tasting vegetables.Conclusions: Roma diet may be linked to taste preferences predisposing to unhealthy eating habits. This assumption needs further studies on their dietary behavior. In order to design potentially effective intervention programs targeting Roma populations, it is essential to identify individual, environmental, social, cultural, and behavioral factors and as well as their complex interplay that may affect dietary intake and behaviors.

Highlights

In the European Union, the Roma population is the largest and most vulnerable ethnic minority population
An estimated 10–12 million Roma people are settled in Europe [6], and Hungary is among the countries with the highest representation of Roma individuals in the total population
Subjects in the Hungarian Roma (HR) population reported adding higher quantities of sugars to consumed foods and beverages (OR = 1.68, 95% CI: 1.10–2.56, p = 0.016) and preferred sweet snacks rather than salty ones (OR = 0.53 for salty snacks, 95% CI: 0.37–0.78, p = 0.001)

Summary

Introduction

In the European Union, the Roma population is the largest and most vulnerable ethnic minority population This minority population faces disadvantages in multiple aspects of life, such as deprived housing conditions, low educational attainment and high unemployment rates throughout Europe [1]. Many Roma people are partially assimilated into majority societies, most Roma communities have maintained their cultural identity and traditions [reviewed in [2]], which strongly affect their lifestyles and health behaviors [8] Harmful health behaviors, such as unhealthy nutrition, are thought to exist and potentially underlie the unfavorable health status of the Roma population. Behind their unfavorable health status, harmful health behaviors, such as unhealthy diet is supposed to exist

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