Life course perspective provides a framework for examining the immigrant experience within the context of globalization and transnationalism. Life course perspective states that individuals develop food choice trajectories based on childhood experiences with food. This study examined the influence of childhood experiences and life events on eating behaviors of Dominican born women in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and New York City. Findings revealed that women developed traditional or non-traditional food choice trajectories. These food choice trajectories remained stable through transition points, such as immigration, marriage, and divorce. Women discussed changes in the amount of food that was eaten, which may explain weight gain after immigration. These findings highlight the limitations of acculturation theory in understanding the eating behaviors of immigrants and provide an alternative explanation for weight gain after immigration.

生命历程的观点为在全球化和跨国主义背景下考察移民经验提供了框架。生命历程的观点指出，个人会根据儿童的食物经历来发展食物选择轨迹。这项研究调查了童年经历和生活事件对多米尼加出生的妇女在圣多明各，多米尼加共和国和纽约市的饮食行为的影响。调查结果表明，妇女发展了传统或非传统的食物选择轨迹。这些食物选择轨迹在过渡点（例如移民，婚姻和离婚）保持稳定。妇女们讨论了进食量的变化，这可能解释了移民后体重增加的原因。