e 3 The interview data does not provide the "typical average" of the local t.od consumed by the islanders of the various communities. Rather they provide estimates which approach the "typical average." An interview of forty-four questions cannot provide a direct and straight forward ''typical average" of local cood actually consumed. The islanders provide better estimates on food they pre- pare rather than on food actually eaten. Within the interview, emphasis was placed on the amounts of food prepared for the family on a weekly basis, since this was felt to be the most easily answered question to pose concerning the ‘ocal diet. Since the Marshallese are by culture food gatherers they know more yc less how much food they regularly gather and how much they have to cook to xeep their families adequately fed. However, not all the food cooked for the family is eaten. Since there is no refrigeration, an undetermined quantity of left-overs 1s probably on many occasions wasted or more likely fed to pigs or in some cases chickens. Most families keep a pig or two and at least half the diet of these pigs consists of left-overs. Thus, the present study provides a more isable indication for food cooked but not necessarily eaten by the family. Another problem in obtaining accurate estimates of food consumption is due to food sharing, which introduces a significant variable into the calculations based on the outside observer and interview methods. Food sharing is a culturally induced readiness to feed not only family members, but anyone present as well. An island society is quite open and islanders roam freely from one house to another at leisure. Thus there is a tendency to prepare a larger amount of food then needed for ones immediate family. The problem then is to estimate the amount of food given away. This is a difficult estimate to make, 6 4 even for an Islander, as it is by no means a consistent .§ that the Marshallese cook regular amounts, and that sly accurate estimates on how much they prepare. It is tnis the family actually consumes. To try and pin the question during an interview is difficult. amount. What is known they can provide reasonanot clear how much of islanders down on this Every man knows from habit how much food he needs to regularly gather to provide for his family. how much of this food he occasionally gives away. He can only guess It was this circumstance that prompted us to concentrate our interview questions on the amount of food regularly prepared, even though it appears that some portion of this food is given away. In the authors' judgement, it seemed best to start with the most reliable estimates possible, and then to proceed from there with Lson. further study and compar- It should be noted then that the averages obtained from the answers to the various questions of the interview are in many cases based on food prepared for family members. Such averages are labeled per family member (PFM). They were computed by dividing the total amount of food prepared by all families by the 74 total number of family members associated with the individual adults interviewed. Had each member of the family been interviewed (an obviously important step in future studies) the amount cooked (less the amount wasted) should be roughly equal to the total amount eaten. Thus, the problem of food sharing could have been successfully by-passed. However, due to time limitations, the inability to interview those reluctant to participate, and a concern not to in- convenience the islanders in any way meant that an inclusive study of all family members (which would entail active cooperation at all levels of the government , of the Marshall Islands) has yet to be completed.