Therefore, this attempt to seek estimates from the islanders themselves
concerning the actual amounts of local foods in thelr contemporary diet should
be used not as a definitive answer to the question of what constitutes the
"typical average."
Rather it should be regarded as a feasibility study on the
In the authors'
possibility of obtaining the desired information in this way.
judgement, the averages obtained from the interview study represent
itil such time as further study
They should be so considere
overestimates.
proves them accurate or (more likely) provig:s representative estimates of food
sharing and wastage, which could be folded into the study to provide more accurate consumption estimates.
Until such time as the factors involved are more
(horoughiy understood, the feasibility of obtaining a "typical average" estimate
from the interview method is in question. However, the present study
establishes an upper limit, which has been confirmed by (a) an estimate of the
calorie intake based on calorie value of foods jl, 2), and (b) the quantity of
.ood
that
is available and is gathered on the islands.
Results
The data obtained from the interviews and observations made by the authors
since 1970 suggests that the diet patterns can be divided into three typical
categories or communities.
-haracteristics?:
These communities have the following
Community A:
a.
Maximum availability of local foods
b.
Highly depressed local economy - living within income provided by
c.
Low population
d.
Little or no ability to purchase imported food
selling copra
Community B:
a.
Low availability of local foods ~ except fish (which can form as much
as 33% of the total diet as a result of excellent fishing in the
area).
b.
Overpopulated - resulting in low per capita availability of local
foods.
c.
A good supply of imported foods (supply boat comes in every two to
three weeks) along with the availability of jobs.
Community C:
a.
Low availability of local foods, even the fishing is poor
b.
Large government food program