Food literacy interventions to improve sustainability in multicultural diets: a scoping review
Sophia Lin, Ebony Lewis, Tamanna Jannat Promi, Fiona Ann Christianus, Minh Cuong Duong, Rimante Ronto, Jaimee Hughes, Yuchen Xie, Amanda Duffy, Milena KatzABSTRACT
Objective
This scoping review aimed to identify and map interventions and gaps in evidence that sought to enhance food literacy to support sustainable dietary behaviours among adults from ethnic minority backgrounds.
Design
A scoping review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Studies were included if they targeted food literacy in ethnic minority adult populations. Nine databases were searched from inception to October 2024.
Settings
Developed economy countries.
Participants
Community-dwelling adult ethnic minority populations.
Results
Of 3128 records screened, two studies met the inclusion criteria. Both studies involved a retrospective evaluation of outcomes following participation in a community garden program. Although some sustainability-related outcomes were recorded, none directly integrated food system sustainability education as a primary objective.
Conclusions
This review found very few food literacy interventions that integrate sustainability and are tailored for ethnic minority communities, highlighting a critical evidence gap. Future health promotion efforts should identify strategies to effectively change food preferences towards nutritious and sustainable choices and how to tailor it for culturally diverse groups to address both health and environmental challenges.