Research News

As a high prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCD’s) continues to burden regional healthcare systems, a new island study is examining the availability of healthy eating options at food stores in Barbados. More specifically, PhD student Stephanie Whiteman is looking at items sold by wholesale outlets, supermarkets and grocery stores, and mini-marts or convenience stores. 

 

She argues that eating habits are not only influenced by availability of the products but other factors such as cultural preferences, accessibility, affordability, personal taste, nutritional quality, safety, labelling and promotion of these foods. Whiteman also contends that the issue is relatively unexplored in Barbados although studies have shown that 90 percent of the population consumes inadequate portions of fruits and vegetables that, along with the other food groups, are essential to attaining optimal health. 

 

In the first phase of her research, the doctoral candidate characterised and evaluated the community nutrition environment with a focus on the types, location, and accessibility of outlets, and between September and November 2021, she assessed the availability of healthy options, price, and quality of foods in 40 percent of the stores on the island, across its eleven parishes. 

 

Guided by the internationally accepted observational measures, the Nutrition Environment Measurement Survey (NEMS) Tools, data were collected on 19 categories of commonly consumed foods. This comprised the 11 items in the original NEMS survey for stores, which were fruits, vegetables, milk, ground beef, hot dogs, frozen dinners, baked goods, beverages, bread, chips, and cereal. The list was then expanded to accommodate eating habits in Barbados and included roots and tubers, rice, pasta, flour, canned vegetables, canned fruits, meats/seafood, and oil. 

 

Whiteman said the healthful alternatives were in line with World Health Organization guidelines for a healthy diet and the food labelling guidelines were those of the United States Food and Drug Administration. The latter was chosen because many of the products imported into Barbados are from the United States of America. 

 

Points were allocated based on the degree to which the food items and healthy alternatives were available as well as based on their pricing and quality. This meant that the higher the NEMS score, the more healthful the store. For example, healthier alternatives to pre-packaged food items like milk, bread, rice, and pasta were allotted two points, and one point was given if there were more than two varieties of healthy alternatives. In instances where there was expanded shelf space for healthier alternatives, a point was given. Further, points were given if the healthier alternative cost less. 

 

At a medical student research symposium in January, Whiteman presented preliminary findings. The study is part of more comprehensive research being conducted by the PhD student entitled “Assessing the foodscape of a small island developing state: The case of Barbados”. 

 

In the next phase, she plans to turn her attention to restaurants and eating patterns at the individual level.