We are out of the classrooms this week as the schools have Monday and Friday off and Finals Tuesday-Thursday. We are taking this time to compile all our data collected in the schools so far and plan how we will attempt to reform the problems we have confronted. I thought I could take this break from reports in schools to write about nutrition here in Pohnpei. It’s no secret that the average Pohnpeian does not keep a healthy diet. Prior to colonization, they were subsistence farmers, eating a diet of fish, taro, bananas and other local food. With the drastic change in lifestyle has come a drastic change in diet. While there is still an abundance of fresh local food, the islanders taste buds now prefer ramen noodles, soda, Kool Aid, canned meats and turkey tail (which has 13x more fat than the rest of the turkey). As a result of these diet choices, Pohnpei and the other three states in the FSM have some of the highest rates of diabetes per capita in the world. It is not unusual to see individuals with limbs amputated from the disease.
One of the biggest issues is the lack of basic health education. MAHI has made efforts to bring this education to the islanders but obviously it is an uphill battle. I think the best way to paint the picture of the severity of the situation is a few scenes I have witnessed. On our first site visit, I saw the girl in the attached picture, licking her hands. Her hands were bright red, but it clearly wasn’t blood as it looked like some sort of powder. I asked John and he told me it was Kool Aid mix. Since that first girl I have seen countless kids walking around licking their hands. A common lunch is dry ramen mixed with Kool Aid. I have been told that kids die every year from renal failure as a result of this diet.
Another scene occurred when I picked up Mr. B the other day. A girl about ten-years old was walking to school drinking a can of soda. Apparently soda is a common breakfast. Perhaps the most shocking scene though was a parent giving her baby a lollipop to suck on instead of a pacifier. While this might invoke outrage, I don’t get the impression that this harm is done intentionally. I truly believe that many of the islanders, particularly the parents feeding their children, don’t know the negative effects of this diet, or at least the severity of the consequences. Compounding this diet is the lack of other basic health knowledge such as the importance of brushing your teeth and regular exercise.
It’s easy to look at the current problems and blame the islanders for their lack of knowledge. But if you look at the history, it’s difficult to blame anyone besides the United States. Prior to the US occupation of Micronesia, the islands were colonized by Spain, Germany and Japan. It wasn’t until the US flooded these islands with sweets that these problems emerged. After studying and spending some time on the Navajo reservation in Arizona, it is clear that Micronesians and Native Americans face many of the same issues. Ultimately, what they share in common is the curse of government handouts. This deserves another post or two, but I feel it is appropriate to put the complex issue of nutrition here in Pohnpei and throughout the FSM in the proper context.
One of the most common questions I received prior to arriving in Pohnpei and since is what I eat. I’m going to hold you in suspense until my next post, which includes video of me sampling a local delicacy…
For now, check out the videos below of some jumps off the Lehn Paipohn Waterfall this past weekend. Sorry mom!
One of the biggest issues is the lack of basic health education. MAHI has made efforts to bring this education to the islanders but obviously it is an uphill battle. I think the best way to paint the picture of the severity of the situation is a few scenes I have witnessed. On our first site visit, I saw the girl in the attached picture, licking her hands. Her hands were bright red, but it clearly wasn’t blood as it looked like some sort of powder. I asked John and he told me it was Kool Aid mix. Since that first girl I have seen countless kids walking around licking their hands. A common lunch is dry ramen mixed with Kool Aid. I have been told that kids die every year from renal failure as a result of this diet.
Another scene occurred when I picked up Mr. B the other day. A girl about ten-years old was walking to school drinking a can of soda. Apparently soda is a common breakfast. Perhaps the most shocking scene though was a parent giving her baby a lollipop to suck on instead of a pacifier. While this might invoke outrage, I don’t get the impression that this harm is done intentionally. I truly believe that many of the islanders, particularly the parents feeding their children, don’t know the negative effects of this diet, or at least the severity of the consequences. Compounding this diet is the lack of other basic health knowledge such as the importance of brushing your teeth and regular exercise.
It’s easy to look at the current problems and blame the islanders for their lack of knowledge. But if you look at the history, it’s difficult to blame anyone besides the United States. Prior to the US occupation of Micronesia, the islands were colonized by Spain, Germany and Japan. It wasn’t until the US flooded these islands with sweets that these problems emerged. After studying and spending some time on the Navajo reservation in Arizona, it is clear that Micronesians and Native Americans face many of the same issues. Ultimately, what they share in common is the curse of government handouts. This deserves another post or two, but I feel it is appropriate to put the complex issue of nutrition here in Pohnpei and throughout the FSM in the proper context.
One of the most common questions I received prior to arriving in Pohnpei and since is what I eat. I’m going to hold you in suspense until my next post, which includes video of me sampling a local delicacy…
For now, check out the videos below of some jumps off the Lehn Paipohn Waterfall this past weekend. Sorry mom!
