Papua New Guinea agri-food trade and household consumption trends point towards dietary change and increased overweight and obesity prevalence

Abstract

Background Papua New Guinea (PNG) experienced positive GDP growth at approximately 4.3% per year during the last decade. With increases in overall wealth within the country, PNG is facing a double burden of malnutrition: comparatively high child stunting rates and a growing overweight and obesity epidemic. We focus on the latter by evaluating trends in agri-food import data from 2001 to 2018 and household consumption data from 2018 and 2009/10. Results The analysis presented in this paper raises three red flags. First, international food import data suggest that the demand for ultra-processed, sugar-sweetened beverages and food have increased substantially over time in PNG. Sugar-sweetened beverages dominated the largest growth in processed food imports, increasing by 23% per capita per year between 2001 and 2018. Second, households across the country with a greater food expenditure on sugar-sweetened beverages have a higher probability of an overweight child (under 5 years old). Last, the probability of soft-drink consumption in PNG increases with greater income acquisition and improved market access. While the price of a soft drink is negatively correlated with the quantity consumed, analysis suggests that total household income has a quantitatively larger (and positive) association with soft drink consumption. Conclusions Taxing (or increasing taxes on) sugar-sweetened beverages may not be a sufficient policy mechanism to curb overconsumption of soft drinks in PNG. Education and advocacy programs should be fostered that integrate improved dietary information on packaging, as well as greater access to and understanding of nutrition and diet information of common household consumption items. While increases in household income and market access are crucial to economic growth and transformation, PNG’s economic transition must be dovetailed with programs that expand and enhance health and nutrition information and education to improve household consumption decisions and overall household wellbeing.

Sociocultural Influences Contribute to Overeating and Unhealthy Eating: Creating and Maintaining an Obesogenic Social Environment in Indigenous Communities in Urban Fiji

“…For example, trade policies and their impacts on processed food consumption dominated early literature on dietary transition in PICs and continues to be a key focus of research in this area. Studies found that trade liberalization, in particular, resulted not only in greater imports of ultra-processed foods but also that the ensuing competition caused a reduction in the prices of domestically-produced processed foods in low- to middle-income PICs, ultimately making processed food more affordable within Pacific communities (e.g., [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ]). Nutrition reports from PICs also confirm an increase in the consumption of processed foods, including refined cereals, sugar-sweetened beverages, meat, and fats, after trade polices (including trade liberalization) came into effect in PICs (e.g., [ 12 , 14 , 15 , 17 ]).…”

“…Studies found that trade liberalization, in particular, resulted not only in greater imports of ultra-processed foods but also that the ensuing competition caused a reduction in the prices of domestically-produced processed foods in low- to middle-income PICs, ultimately making processed food more affordable within Pacific communities (e.g., [ 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 ]). Nutrition reports from PICs also confirm an increase in the consumption of processed foods, including refined cereals, sugar-sweetened beverages, meat, and fats, after trade polices (including trade liberalization) came into effect in PICs (e.g., [ 12 , 14 , 15 , 17 ]). Consequently, most of the recommendations on food-related interventions in PICs focus on a re-assessment of trade policies, such as increasing taxation on processed foods and limiting imports of unhealthy processed foods, including meat (e.g., [ 17 , 18 , 19 ]).…”

First insight into oral microbiome diversity in Papua New Guineans reveals a specific regional signature

“…The PNG populations have a history of low levels of protein consumption, which has been improving in the last years with an increase in the importation of poultry and fish (Schmidt & Fang, 2021). However, with the importation of animal-sourced foods there has also been an increased importation of ultra-processed foods, and meals containing higher saturated fat (Schmidt & Fang, 2021). PNG has poor general health due to low socio-economic status and high burden of infectious diseases, such as pneumoni a, malaria, tuberculosis and meningitis (Riley, 2009).…”

“…The majority of Papua New Guineans live in a semi‐traditional way with an agriculture‐based diet, including sago, sweet potato, taro, cassava, yam, rice, maize, breadfruit, various nuts, sugarcane, pig, chicken and fruits, like coconut, banana and pineapple (Schapper, 2017). The PNG populations have a history of low levels of protein consumption, which has been improving in the last years with an increase in the importation of poultry and fish (Schmidt & Fang, 2021). However, with the importation of animal‐sourced foods there has also been an increased importation of ultra‐processed foods, and meals containing higher saturated fat (Schmidt & Fang, 2021).…”

What Do We Know about the Diets of Pacific Islander Adults in Papua New Guinea? A Scoping Review

“…In urban areas of PNG, over 90% of dietary intake is sourced through purchases from local stores and markets [2]. Nutrition transition is the concept used in the literature to describe the evolving dietary patterns within societies, marked by a shift from traditional, locally sourced diets to more processed and ultra-processed foods and beverages, which are less nutrient dense and high in deleterious nutrients, such as saturated fat, added sugar and salt [3][4][5]. The nutrition transition has also been accompanied by lifestyle changes, including less physical activity and loss of farming practices as a result of urbanisation [6].…”