Meat Flaps: Contributing toward Obesity In The Pacific Islands
The sale of flap meat from Australia and New Zealand to the Pacific Islands represents one example of the link between obesity and socioeconomic status. ‘Flap meat’ refers to a particular cut of animal meat that lies around the ribs. Australians and New Zealanders don’t eat this kind of meat because of its low quality, but we do sell it in our supermarkets. As dog food.
Since this ‘dog quality’ flap meat cannot be sold in its entirety in first world countries, we sell it to various developing countries including the Pacific Islands, where it is highly regarded as Western, modern, ‘rich’ food. However, these products have a high fat content, and have been blamed for dramatically increased rates of obesity and obesity-related illnesses.
The Pacific Islands have the highest rates of obesity in the world. One recent study placed the Pacific Islands of Samoa, Kiribati and Tonga among the top ten countries for obesity (1), all with adult rates of obesity over 50%. On top of that, these countries have high rates of type II diabetes, a disease strongly associated with obesity.
The prevalence of type II diabetes has more than tripled in Tonga since 1973 (2), and increased by over 15% in Samoa since 1978 (3). These increases can be attributed to a number of factors, which include a lack of education about healthy eating, or positive cultural views toward unhealthy foods. Nevertheless, it is undeniable that the sale of flap meat has contributed toward negative health outcomes among developing countries.
A few hundred years ago, higher weight was exclusive to the rich. It was viewed as a sign of wealth and affluence. Now, only the rich can afford to be skinny, and healthy. The trade of flap meats is a replication of these former class differences — but in the reverse, and on a global scale. The rich Westerner graciously sells their scraps to the poor, developing nations, who view these ‘rich’ foods as a sign of desirable Western affluence, and their cultural views render them vulnerable to associated negative health outcomes. This not only leads to negative health outcomes, but it also increases the burden of disease on the healthcare systems and economy of the islands.
Contributing towards obesity in developing countries and all the health problems that go along with it — while actively profiting from it — can that ever be justified?
References
1. Ng M, Fleming T, Robinson M, Thomson B, Graetz N, Margono C, Mullany EC, Biryukov S, Abbafati C, Abera SF, Abraham JP. Global, regional, and national prevalence of overweight and obesity in children and adults during 1980–2013: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2013. The Lancet. 2014 Sep 5;384(9945):766–81.
2. Lin S, Hufanga S, Linhart C, Morrell S, Taylor R, Magliano DJ, Zimmet P. Diabetes and obesity trends in Tonga over 40 years. Asia Pacific Journal of Public Health. 2016 Sep;28(6):475–85.
3. Lin S, Naseri T, Linhart C, Morrell S, Taylor R, McGarvey ST, Magliano DJ, Zimmet P. Trends in diabetes and obesity in Samoa over 35 years, 1978–2013. Diabetic Medicine. 2016 Aug 1.
Featured image: Cheap Meat: Flap Food Nations in the Pacific Islands. 2010.
See Also:
Gewertz DB, Errington FK. Cheap meat: flap food nations in the Pacific Islands. Univ of California Press; 2010.
Watson K., Treanor S. How mutton flaps are killing Tonga. BBC News Magazine 18/01/2016. Available from: http://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-35346493
