A simulation-based structural equation modeling demonstration of dietary acculturation among international university students in Taiwan: an integrated model of food access, time constraints, and social support

A simulation-based structural equation modeling demonstration of dietary acculturation among international university students in Taiwan: an integrated model of food access, time constraints, and social support Tumuli Iulio Princess Margaret Hospital, Funafuti Island, Private Mail Bag, Tuvalu Email:tumshinaiulio@gmail.com ——————————————————————————————————————— Abstract This study proposes and demonstrates an integrated structural determinants model of dietary acculturation among international university students in Taiwan. Drawing on structural health behavior theory and dietary acculturation frameworks, the model examines how food access, time constraints, and social support jointly influence dietary acculturation and overall diet quality. A structural equation modeling (SEM) approach was employed using a simulation-based dataset (N = 40) to illustrate the analytical procedure and hypothesized relationships. The simulated findings suggest that food access positively predicts both healthy dietary acculturation and diet quality, whereas time constraints exert negative effects on both outcomes. Social support functions as both a direct predictor and a buffering moderator that attenuates the adverse impact of time pressure on diet quality. Additionally, dietary acculturation partially mediates the relationship between structural determinants and diet quality. Although based on synthetic data for methodological demonstration, the proposed framework highlights the importance of structural conditions in shaping dietary adaptation among international students. The model shifts the focus from individual-level cultural preference to institutional and environmental determinants, offering actionable implications for campus policy and student health promotion. Future empirical research is needed to validate the framework using real-world data and longitudinal designs.Keywords: Dietary acculturation; Structural determinants; Food access; Food insecurity; Time constraints; Social support; International students; Diet quality; Structural equation modeling. Received: 2025-10-22 Revised: 2025-12-11 Accepted: 2025-12-30 Tone Uprising: A Journal of Narrative Sovereignty, 2(Article 1), 1–21 Rolling Publication (Annual Volume) 語氣起義:敘事主權期刊, 第2卷,第1篇,2026年。 The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available at https://narrquest.wordpress.com/issues/ © NarrQuest Narrative Observatory. This journal is open access under the CC BY-NC 4.0 license. ISSN (Online): 3105-1456 © NarrQuest 敘事觀察室。本期刊採用創用 CC BY-NC 4.0 授權條款之開放取用出版。 ISSN(線上版):3105-1456