Table 1 Search strategy including databases, keywords, and limits

Databases searched

Academic Search Complete (EBSCOhost); Academic Search Premier (EBSCOhost); CINAHL with Full Text (EBSCOhost); Global Health (EBSCOhost); MEDLINE with Full Text (EBSCOhost); and PsycINFO (EBSCOhost).

Key Words

MeSH keywords: (Obes* OR Overweight OR Weight gain OR Bodyweight OR Body mass index OR Waist-hip ratio) AND (Enculturat* OR Acculturat* OR assimilat* OR Integrat* OR Cultural change OR Biculturalism OR Cultural integration OR Culture diffusion OR Cultural adaptation OR Cultural shift Or Social integration)

Additional keywords: (Obesity OR overweight person OR overweight OR weight gain OR body weight OR body mass index OR waist-hip ratio) AND (Acculturation OR culture change OR assimilation OR integration OR social integration OR biculturalism OR cultural integration OR culture diffusion OR cultural change OR cultural adaptation OR cultural shift).

Inclusion criteria

i. The study was published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

ii. The study used an acculturation scale (UDM or BDM) to measure acculturation.

iii. The study did not rely on surrogate measures of acculturation (e.g. length of stay in host country, generations (1st vs. 2nd), or nativity/birthplace).

iv. The population under study comprised migrants and/or refugees from low- or medium-income countries living in high-income countries.

v. The populations under study comprised adults over 18 years of age.

The paper was published between January 1990 and May 2011.