Staple food choices in Samoa: Do changing dietary trends reflect local food preferences?

Abstract

The prevalence of non-communicable diseases such as diabetes, obesity and cardiovascular disease has become a considerable health problem throughout the South Pacific, including Samoa. The increase in these diseases is most often associated with changes in dietary intake; including increased consumption of fats and sugars concurrent with reduced consumption of fibre and complex carbohydrates. We conducted this study in order to better understand food preferences in the Samoan population. The study focuses on the following common staple foods available in Samoa: taro, banana, elephant ear, yam, breadfruit, tapioca, rice, bread, noodles and potatoes. Interviews were conducted with 51 volunteers to better understand what foods they prefer to eat, which items they viewed as healthy choices, and how they categorize and view these foods. Over all, the participants preferred the traditional foods over imported staples. The local foods were preferred because they are considered to be healthier choices and provide a longer lasting source of energy. The preference ranking assigned to the food items correlated with their documented glycemic indexes (GI). Although it appears that Samoans prefer low GI, fiber-rich staple foods, imported refined cereal products provide more calories for the same price which makes them more economical. We recommend that future public health policy in Samoa should focus on the preference for healthier, more sustainable local foods, and aim at making these foods more economically competitive.