Food-related well-being in times of crisis: Conceptual considerations and empirical findings for Syrian refugees in Germany

Migration to a new country generally entails a variety of social and economic adversities, often reflected in food practices. This paper aims to explore the hedonic dimension of well-being in a food context among a diasporic Syrian community in Stuttgart, Germany. A conceptual framework that integrates the three aspects of well-being (hedonic, psychological and social) with goals for food consumption (functional, symbolic and hedonic) was developed as a guide for the exploration. The research design used semi-structured interviews with 34 Syrian refugees and content-based analysis to obtain a detailed and profound understanding of the relational links between food and well-being. Findings reveal the affective and cognitive components of hedonic well-being and the overall perception of a good food-related life concerning food purchasing, preparation, eating and post-eating. Satisfaction in food-related life was found to be associated with food availability and accessibility, physical health and body functioning, positive emotions, sensory experience, social relationships and overall life satisfaction. The insights gained from this research help to elucidate the concept of food-related well-being in the case of conflict and displacement and to find strategies to promote the well-being of refugees.