Cultural influences on food cravings and aversions during pregnancy

Abstract

The effects of cultural choices on food cravings and aversions of 160 pregnant women were assessed in four ethnic groups (n = 40 each): Black, Cambodian, Hispanic and White. Subjects were participants in a federal supplemental food program, the Women, Infants and Children Program (WIC), in Long Beach, California, a metropolitan area of the United States. Questionnaires were administered in Cambodian, English, or Spanish as appropriate. Cambodians craved significantly more meat and spicy/salty foods than the other three groups. Increased educational level and number of years spent in the U.S. correlated positively with significantly more cravings for traditional western American foods (that is, chicken, peanut butter and hot dogs). Aversions for less typical American foods (such as fermented fish and pigs’ feet) increased with advanced educational level and years of residence.