Ethnic minorities, migration and risk of undernutrition in children

Well-controlled, comparative studies suggest that in "food rich" or "resource rich" environments, ethnic minority status is not an independent risk factor for malnutrition. In England, Australia, and the United States, nutrient intake, nutritional status measures and growth are comparable between children of ethnic minorities and non-minority children of similar economic status. Children of recent immigrants are an exception to this generalization, suggesting that recent arrival in a new environment is a risk factor for malnutrition. Family-level studies of intraethnic diversity are required to develop more sensitive and specific profiles of risk factors for malnutrition.