Asian immigrants' acculturation into American food culture: an empirical analysis on time use

As immigrants settle and extend their stay in the U.S., they may be exposed to a food culture and lifestyle that impacts their food choice decisions and health outcomes. This paper focuses on the behavioral changes and acculturation level of different generations of Asian immigrants on food choice decisions employing the 2013 American Time Use Survey. Heckman two-step regression results indicate that the immigrants who immigrated as adults participate or spend more time on eating and drinking, food preparation, and grocery shopping, and less in travel related eating and drinking compared with natives. They are least likely to acculturate into American food culture. Immigrants who immigrated as children behave more similarly to natives and appear to acculturate over time. American born Asians show no significant difference to natives. Immigrants acculturate by the food habit change from food at home to food away from home.