Perceived racial discrimination and eating habits: a systematic review and conceptual models

CONTEXT: There is no systematic review on the relationship between racial discrimination and eating habits. OBJECTIVE: A systematic review was conducted to synthesize evidence on the association between perceived racial discrimination (PRD) and eating habits. A conceptual model was developed to depict the most common mechanisms used to explain this association. DATA SOURCES: Articles were retrieved from the PubMed, Embase, LILACS, and PsycINFO databases from inception to January 2021. STUDY SELECTION: Only observational studies were included, and there were no restrictions on age, racial group, or country. Two reviewers selected the articles independently. DATA EXTRACTION: Data were extracted independently by 2 reviewers. The assessment of methodological quality was conducted using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. RESULTS: All studies retrieved were conducted among the US population. Nineteen studies were included. On average, the studies showed a methodological quality of 66%. Forty-six associations were evaluated: 38 between PRD and negative eating habits, 29 between PRD and eating behavior, and 17 between PRD and food consumption. CONCLUSIONS: PRD negatively affects eating habits. A conceptual framework based on ecosocial theory is suggested as a guide for future research. Further studies in different countries (beyond the United States) should be conducted to understand how racial discrimination affects eating habits within different ethnic, cultural, social, and economic contexts. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO registration no. CRD42019142605.