Overview of dietary intake assessment methods and dietary outcomes in Roma population: a scoping review

AbstractThe Roma minority is one of Europe’s most vulnerable minorities in terms of health status including nutrition-related diseases. A detailed and robust exploration of the dietary behaviors of the Roma population is essential for developing targeted nutrition interventions. This scoping review aims to identify and evaluate the dietary assessment methods used for measuring dietary intake and food consumption among the Roma population. Studies were identified through PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and grey literature. Studies written in English that focused on the Roma minority and assessed dietary intake and food consumption were eligible. A qualitative approach was used to summarize the results. Thirteen original studies were reviewed, primarily conducted in Eastern Europe. Nine out of thirteen studies used cross-sectional study designs and quantitative research approaches. The most commonly applied nutritional assessment methods were food frequency questionnaire, 24-h dietary recall, and brief dietary habits questionnaire. Quantitative dietary outcomes were measured through dietary intake, food consumption patterns, and dietary quality, while qualitative dietary outcomes were identified as moderate overconsumption, irregular eating, or the symbolic use of food to denote social status. There was a lack of validity and adaptation of dietary assessment tools for the Roma population. The reviewed studies often did not employ advanced nutritional analysis methods common in the general, non-Roma population. There is a need to develop specific dietary assessment methods for the Roma population. To obtain more reliable results, combining subjective dietary assessment methods with a qualitative, participatory approach may be suitable for this population. IntroductionEthnic minority groups, including Roma communities across Europe, have long experienced nutritional vulnerability and distinct disease patterns compared to the general population, reflecting ongoing socioeconomic health disparities rooted in their ethnic backgrounds [1, 2]. They often experience higher disease burdens, lower life expectancy, and educational attainment, regardless of their country of residence [3, 4]. The Roma population represents the largest ethnic minority in Europe; the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates their number ~12–15 million in the European Region, out of which 6 million live in the European Union. Most of them reside in the Central and Eastern European countries of the EU [5].The Roma population is distinct from the non-Roma population in terms of their cultural and social characteristics, language, appearance, traditions, and unique cultural identity. As a result of social integration, their traditional way of life has changed, but characteristics of lifestyle and eating have remained [6].The dietary quality of the Roma population is greatly influenced by their eating tradition controlled by strict rules. Their ru Read More