Dietary Diversity of an Adult Solomon Islands Population.

Bridget Horsey,Sarah Burkhart,Steven Underhill,Libby Swanepoel,Judith Aliakbari

doi:10.3390/nu11071622

Bridget Horsey, Sarah Burkhart + Show 3 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/nu11071622

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Abstract

Ongoing dietary transitions in the Solomon Islands has resulted in an over-reliance on commercially sourced foods, leading to food insecurity, and a subsequent rise in multiple forms of malnutrition. The aim of this study was to investigate the individual dietary diversity and food preferences of the adult population living in Auki, Solomon Islands. A cross-sectional study involving 133 adults was undertaken in the Auki district via an interviewer-administered questionnaire. Individual dietary diversity scores (DDS) were determined based on the results of a 24-h recall method. Overall mean DDS was 7.27 (range 2–12). Females and participants who lived outside the Auki town center had significantly higher dietary diversity scores. Low consumption of a variety of nutritious foods within food groups and high consumption of energy dense processed foods, indicates that diet quality is likely limited in some of this population. Participants desire for a diverse diet including local foods suggests that current dietary diversity status in this population may be influenced by food security rather than food preference.

Highlights

IntroductionCaused by an inadequate dietary intake of energy and/or nutrients, malnutrition is experienced in three forms; undernutrition (including stunting and underweight), overnutrition (including overweight and obesity) and micronutrient deficiencies [1,2,3]
The Pacific Islands are experiencing some of the highest rates of malnutrition in the world [1].Directly caused by an inadequate dietary intake of energy and/or nutrients, malnutrition is experienced in three forms; undernutrition, overnutrition and micronutrient deficiencies [1,2,3]
This study presents one of the first assessments of dietary diversity of an adult population of Solomon Islanders located on Malaita Island

Summary

Introduction

Caused by an inadequate dietary intake of energy and/or nutrients, malnutrition is experienced in three forms; undernutrition (including stunting and underweight), overnutrition (including overweight and obesity) and micronutrient deficiencies [1,2,3]. Accelerated changes in dietary patterns, known as nutrition transitions and a lack of high-quality diet is contributing to increasing rates of overnutrition [1]. This has resulted in the coexistence of all forms of malnutrition across the Pacific Islands, commonly referred to as the triple burden of malnutrition [3,4,5,6].

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