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.

Abstract (Samoan): O le mata`utia o fa`ama`i lē pipisi e pei o le suka, puta, ma gasegase o le fatu ua avea ma fa`afitauli matuiā o le soifua maloloina i le Pasefika i Saute, e aofia ai ma Samoa. O le fa`atupula`ia o nei fa`ama`i ua feso`ota`i vavalalata ma le suiga i mea`ai e aofia ai le fa`ateleina o le taumafaina o mea`ai ga`o ma suka ae ua fa`aitiitia le taumafaina o me`ai e maua ai vaitamini ma le masoā. Sa matou faia lenei su`esu’ega ina ia malamalama lelei ai i ituaiga o mea`ai e fiafia iai tagata Samoa. Sa fa`apitoa le su`esu`ega i mea`ai e masani ona maua i Samoa; talo, fa`i, ta`amū, manioka, alaisa, falaoa, saimini, ma pateta. Sa fa`atalanoaina tagata e 51 ina ia malamalama lelei ai ituaiga mea`ai latou e fiafia iai, o mea`ai ua latou manatu e aogā mo le soifua maloloina, fa`atasi ai ma le fa`avasegaina ma le malamalama i nei mea`ai. I le aotelega, na sili atu le fiafia o i latou na auai i le su`esu`ega i mea`ai masani o lo`o maua i Samoa nai lo mea`ai masani o lo`o fa`atau mai fafo. O lenei fa`ai`uga e tutusa lelei i tamaiti ma tagata matutua, ma tamaloloa ma fafine. E sili atu le fiafia o Samoa i nei mea`ai ona ua manatu e aoga mo le soifua maloloina, ma e umi o maua ai le malosi. O le fa`atulagaina o mea`ai e tusa ai ma lona mana`omia ua talafeagai lelei ma lo latou fa`atulagaga i le GI (o le fua o le a`afiaga o mea`ai i le maualuga o le suka). E ui ina foliga mai e fiafia Samoa i mea`ai e maulalo le GI, o mea`ai e tele ai le fiber, o mea`ai masoa e gaosi ma fa`atau mai fafo e sili atu le malosi e maua mai ai ma e tutusa le tau ma avea ma mea ua faigofie ai ona fa`atauina. O aiaiga o le lumana`i o le soifua maloloina o tagata o Samoa e ao ona fa`aaoga lenei fa`ai`uga mo mea`ai e fiafia iai mo le soifua maloloina lelei, ia maua pea lave pea nei mea`ai e masani ai, ma fuafua ina ia gafatia le tau.