Marshall Islands: A Study of Diet and Living Patterns J.R. Naidu, N.A. Greenhouse, G. Knight* and —.C. Craighead** Brookhaven National Laboratory, Safety and Environmental Protection Division Upton, New York 11973 Abstract This study summarizes information on diet and living patterns for the Marshallese. The data was derived from literature, answers to questionnaires, personal observations while living with the Marshallese for periods extending from months to years, and from direct participation in their activities. The results reflect the complex interactions of many influences, such as, the gathering of local foods, the receipt of food aid through programs, such as, school-lunch, tyvphoon-relief, food distributed to populations displaced as a re- suit of nuclear testing, and in recent times the availability of cash for the purchase of imported foods. The results identify these influences and are therefore restricted to local food diets while recognizing that the living patterns are changing as local food gathering is replaced by other food supplies. » ® The data will therefore provide the necessary information for input into models that wiil assess the radiological impacts attributable to the inhabitation of the Marshall Islands. It is recommended that this study should be continued for at least two to three years in order to more accurately identify trends in local Food consumption and living patterns. Ob jective The goal of this study is the evaluation of dietary and living patterns among the inhabitants of the Northern Marshall Islands. These data will be used as input to the dose estimation models (external and internal) that are being developed for the Marshallese who continue to inhabit or will inhabit areas previously contaminated by radioactive fallout from U.S. Pacific Nuclear tests. Introduction This study, by the Safety and Environmental Protection Division (S&EP) of the Brookhaven National Laboratory, is a continuation of work which began in 1974 as part of environmental monitoring programs for Bikini, Rongelap and Utirik. The Northern Marshall Islands Radiological Survey (NMIRS) of 1978 pro- vided an opportunity to carry out a study in extensive detail, since the role of S&EP was devoted exclusively to diet and living patterns. Since then, two of the authors, (G. Knight and J.R. Naidu), have continued the study in order to increase the data base obtained through this work. As pointed out in a prelimi-~ *P.O. Box 782, Majuro, Marshall Islands **8 Platt Street, East Norwalk, Connecticut 06855