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Read more about 'Measuring store turnover' in Section 2 |
It is very difficult to measure dietary intake because of a range of cultural, social and ethical factors. Past studies have tended to look at people's likes and dislikes rather than at what they actually eat. In remote areas, the community store now provides approximately 95 per cent of all food that is eaten in the community (Lee et al 1995:212).
In 1994 the apparent dietary intake of six Aboriginal communities was measured using 'store turnover' as a research tool (see Lee, O'Dea & Mathews 1994:190-197). A number of other communities in both the Top End and Central Australia also had their store turnover studied. This research has provided the best information yet about what people actually eat (see also Northern Territory Department of Health and Community Services 1995).
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Read more about 'Measuring store turnover' in Section 2 |
Research has found that people in remote communities:
Apparent consumption of selected foods (kg per capita per year)
Store turnover studies have also shown that most people still choose a very limited selection of foods. Compared with national Australian apparent consumption data, intakes of sugar and sweetened carbonated beverages are much higher in NT Aboriginal communities. Intakes of fruit and vegetables are much lower.
"White sugar, meat, white flour and bread provided over 50 percent of energy in the northern costal communities, and white sugar, flour and meat alone provided over 60 percent of energy in the central desert communities" (Lee, O'Dea & Mathews 1994:192-193).
The following information also comes from Lee, O'Dea and Matthews (1994:190-197) store turnover studies.
In each community studied, of the apparent fat intake, fatty meats contributed nearly 40 per cent of total energy intake in the northern coastal communities and over 60 per cent in central desert communities. Take-away foods also contributed a lot of fat to the diet.
People eat large amounts of sugar. Sugar in the diet comes mostly from refined sugar added to tea and from soft drink. The mean intake of refined sugars is around 258 grams (approximately 50 teaspoons) per person, per day.
Salt is used heavily - around five times more than the maximum recommended.
Fibre intake is less than half that recommended.
Intakes of fruit and vegetable are much lower in Aboriginal communities than in the rest of Australia. The amount of fruit and vegetables consumed are below the amounts which are currently recommended. Remote stores on the whole are selling half the fruit and one quarter of the vegetable intake per capita compared to the overall Australian community.
Vitamin and mineral intakes are often inadequate. Nutrients which have been found to be inadequate include iron, Vitamin A, riboflavin, Vitamin B6, niacin, folate, magnesium, zinc and copper.
The preference that people express for traditional foods does not necessarily match what they actually eat. Bush foods contribute only a small proportion of nutrients to people's diet in many areas. However they are still very important from a cultural point of view.
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For more information see Section 2 of this chapter |
Poster by Sheila Puruntatameri