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Betel Nut Use among First and Second Generation Bangladeshi Women in London, UK

Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health volume 9, pages 299–306 (2007)Cite this article

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of socio-economic variables and migration history on the prevalence of betel nut and smokeless tobacco use in both UK- and Bangladeshi born migrant women resident in London. No significant difference in betel nut use prevalence was found among women of different generations. However, in all groups betel nut users were significantly older and less educated than non-users. Among first generation women there was no effect of either length of time living in the UK or age at migration on use of betel nut, even after controlling for current age. No significant differences in prevalence use due to language spoken, occupation, marital status or borough of residence in London were found. We conclude that, although there are some indications of a change in behavior among younger individuals, betel nut chewing is a practice very much present among Bangladeshi women born and brought up in a bicultural context.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful to all participants for their patience. We thank community workers at community centers and schools in Camden and East London, and several assistants for invaluable help in the field: Nazneen Choudhury, Sultana Hashim, Jordana Hochman, Caroline Horton, Yianna Koutsioni and Sofina Razzaque. This study was generously supported by Central Fund University of London (UK), the Royal Society (UK) and UCL Graduate School (UK). ANM is supported by Mexican National Council for Science and Technology—CONACyT (Mexico) and CVCP Universities (UK) postgraduate scholarships.

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  1. Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, UK

    Alejandra Núñez-de la Mora, Fahmida Jesmin & Gillian R. Bentley

  2. Department of Anthropology, Durham University, 43 Old Elvet, Durham, DH1 3HN, England, UK

    Gillian R. Bentley

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  1. Alejandra Núñez-de la Mora
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  2. Fahmida Jesmin
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  3. Gillian R. Bentley
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Correspondence to Gillian R. Bentley.

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Núñez-de la Mora, A., Jesmin, F. & Bentley, G.R. Betel Nut Use among First and Second Generation Bangladeshi Women in London, UK. J Immigrant Minority Health 9, 299–306 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-007-9041-2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-007-9041-2

Keywords

  • Betel nut
  • Paan
  • British–Bangladeshi women
  • Intergenerational differences
  • Betel nut use prevalence