Photo from during my exchange in Europe when I visited Denmark, a nation in Scandinavia.
Page Author: Michael George
Page Author: Michael George
Swedish immigrants came in two waves to the United States. The first wave arrived between 1868-1873 due to a famine in Sweden. Most Swedes during this time chose to settle in the upper Midwest and were farming families. A second wave arrived between 1880-1893 due to unfavorable economic conditions in Sweden. This time, skilled professionals such as loggers, miners, and factory workers came as well. In total, from 1851 to 1930, 1.2 million Swedes arrived in America, which was around 25% of Sweden’s population at the time. Swedes made up the 13th largest ethnic group in America in 1990.
Source: Swedish Americans, Everyculture.com
Source: Swedish Americans, Everyculture.com
Q: What food is typical to include in a healthy Scandinavian meal?
A: “Tuna and fish in general is good in salad, bulgur, lentil instead of rice, besides that we eat a lot of potatoes, pasta and rice.”
Q: Do Scandinavians value exercise or healthy eating more in their image of being healthy?
A: “For me exercising is more important than healthy eating in a image of being healthy. I will guess that it is 50/50 among Danish opinions. No Alcohol or limited amount of it is also a big part of healthy living… [what] most people do is that they drink a lot in some periods and afterward have some dry periods.”
Source: Lindekilde, Frederik
A: “Tuna and fish in general is good in salad, bulgur, lentil instead of rice, besides that we eat a lot of potatoes, pasta and rice.”
Q: Do Scandinavians value exercise or healthy eating more in their image of being healthy?
A: “For me exercising is more important than healthy eating in a image of being healthy. I will guess that it is 50/50 among Danish opinions. No Alcohol or limited amount of it is also a big part of healthy living… [what] most people do is that they drink a lot in some periods and afterward have some dry periods.”
Source: Lindekilde, Frederik
Some Swedes are reluctant to speak about an illness or impairment, as it may be seen as a weakness. Significant health issues are similar to the US (ie heart disease, alcoholism, and Depression). Including Swedish elements such as Swedish massage in physical therapy or rye bread in a diet may make them more comfortable with their treatment. Overall, Sweden is similar to the US in its low context communication.
Source: Kittler & Sucher, Food and Culture
Source: Kittler & Sucher, Food and Culture
Bibliography
"A Brief History of New Sweden in America."ColonialSwedes.net. The Swedish Colonial Society, n.d. Web. 07 Aug. 2015. <http://colonialswedes.net/History/History.html>.
"Health & Medicare." Visit Sweden. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Aug. 2015. <http://www.visitsweden.com/sweden/Sweden-Facts/How-you-do-things-in-Sweden/Health--medicare/>.
Hjelm, Katarina, Karin Bard, Per Nyberg, and Jan Apelqvist. "Religious and Cultural Distance in Beliefs about Health and Illness in Women with Diabetes Mellitus of Different Origin Living in Sweden."International Journal of Nursing Studies 40.6 (2003): 627-43. Web.
Kittler, Pamela Goyan, and Kathryn Sucher. Food and Culture. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth, 2004. Print.
Lindekilde, Frederik. "Frederik Lindekilde Interview." E-mail interview. 13 July 2015.
"Scandinavia Quick Start."Mesa AZ FamilySearch Library. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, n.d. Web. 07 Aug. 2015. <http://www.mesarfhc.org/quick_starts/Scandanavian/scandinavia_.html>.
"Swedish Americans." Everyculture.com. Advameg, Inc., n.d. Web. 24 July 2015. <http://www.everyculture.com/multi/Sr-Z/Swedish-Americans.html>.
"A Brief History of New Sweden in America."ColonialSwedes.net. The Swedish Colonial Society, n.d. Web. 07 Aug. 2015. <http://colonialswedes.net/History/History.html>.
"Health & Medicare." Visit Sweden. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Aug. 2015. <http://www.visitsweden.com/sweden/Sweden-Facts/How-you-do-things-in-Sweden/Health--medicare/>.
Hjelm, Katarina, Karin Bard, Per Nyberg, and Jan Apelqvist. "Religious and Cultural Distance in Beliefs about Health and Illness in Women with Diabetes Mellitus of Different Origin Living in Sweden."International Journal of Nursing Studies 40.6 (2003): 627-43. Web.
Kittler, Pamela Goyan, and Kathryn Sucher. Food and Culture. Belmont, CA: Thomson/Wadsworth, 2004. Print.
Lindekilde, Frederik. "Frederik Lindekilde Interview." E-mail interview. 13 July 2015.
"Scandinavia Quick Start."Mesa AZ FamilySearch Library. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, n.d. Web. 07 Aug. 2015. <http://www.mesarfhc.org/quick_starts/Scandanavian/scandinavia_.html>.
"Swedish Americans." Everyculture.com. Advameg, Inc., n.d. Web. 24 July 2015. <http://www.everyculture.com/multi/Sr-Z/Swedish-Americans.html>.