Feeding the Vietnamese in the UK and the rationale behind their food habits

Abstract

Since 1979 there had been 15 000 refugees from Vietnam resettled in UK. Although 80% were Chinese by race, most had lived in Vietnam for 3 or more generations. In the present study, refugees were interviewed on arrival at reception centres in UK so that their traditional food habits could be known. Food was classed as "hot" or "cold" and eating habits were based on the Chinese philosophy of the five elements. There was a light breakfast. The 2 main meals, at midday and in the evening, were of 4 basic dishes. Those were: rice; a thin soup of stock and vegetables; meat or fish cooked with vegetables; vegetables. Condiments and side dishes were used. The meal ended with fresh fruit; afterwards the men drank China tea and old persons, women and children drank water. There was no tradition of specific foods for different meals or for different courses of a meal. Dessert dishes, beer or wine were for special occasions. Meals were planned according to the requirements of different members of the family. Those over 16 years old did not usually eat snacks between meals. The large reception centres in UK had communal catering by non-Vietnamese staff, who sometimes offered unfamiliar foods such as cheese, margarine, jam or tinned beans. Sometimes milk was promoted by organizers unaware of the milk use of Vietnamese or their incidence of lactose intolerance. Though the food was adequate, the way in which it was served often made it inedible for the refugees. The catering systems preferred by the Vietnamese were those in which they bought the food, gaining familiarity with UK measures, money and language, and arranged the meals, so that the women especially were not excluded from one of their important social functions. It was known from earlier work that at one UK centre for 80 Vietnamese, the diet of locally available foods prepared according to Vietnamese habits was nutritionally adequate and had a lower proportion of energy from fat, 23% of total energy intake, and a higher proportion from protein, 15%, and especially for carbohydrate, 62%, than in the usual UK or USA diet. The Vietnamese-style diet was also cheaper, and resembled the diet now recommended by nutritionists. The UK might learn from the Vietnamese diet, rather than offer a Vietnamese child the traditional school pudding with custard instead of fresh fruit, or expect Vietnamese in hospital to thrive on inappropriate diets.