Cultural relevance of food security initiatives and the associated impacts on the cultural identity of immigrants in Canada: A scoping review of food insecurity literature

Evidence shows that Black identifying immigrants in Canada are highly vulnerable to food insecurity and that current interventions do not adequately meet their food needs. However, limited scientific studies exist that have explored the cultural relevance and the service gaps in the food security intervention space for addressing the food needs of Black identifying immigrants in Canada. This research involved a review of literature from relevant databases: CINAHL, OVID-MEDLINE, Academic Plus, and SocINDEX and a review of the gray literature. Qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods peer-reviewed papers were included if they focused on community food-based programs, services, and initiatives, focused on food-insecure Black-identifying populations in Canada, were written in English, and published between 2000 and 2023. The synthesis reveals several barriers including the lack of familiar food options, transportation, the geographical location of the ethnic food stores, and financial challenges were identified in the existing studies as factors that limit access to the existing interventions by the newcomers. Additionally, sociocultural factors related to perceptions of stigma in the use of charitable support and discrimination in employment and migration that compound the pre-existing vulnerabilities of food-insecure Black identifying immigrants. Black-identifying immigrants are at risk of food and cultural food insecurity due to the limited cultural relevance in the existing interventions. To systematically address escalating food insecurity among Black-identifying individuals in Canada, attention must be directed to the importance of addressing an individual's socio-cultural food needs and acknowledging food as a means to cultural identity that holistically supports overall health.