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Epidemiology

Nutrition transition in a middle-income country: 22-year trends in the Seychelles

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 67, pages 135–140 (2013)Cite this article

Subjects

Abstract

Background/objectives:

There is little objective information regarding nutrition transition in African countries. We assessed trends in nutrition patterns in the Seychelles between 1989 and 2011.

Subjects/Methods:

Population-based samples were obtained in 1989, 1994 and 2011 and participants aged 25–44 are considered in this study (n=493, 599 and 471, respectively). Similar, although not identical, food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) were used in each survey and the variables were collapsed into homogenous categories for the purpose of this study.

Results:

Between 1989 and 2011, consumption frequency of fish (5+/week) decreased from 93 to 74%, whereas the following increased: meat (5+/week) 25 to 51%, fruits (1+/week) 48 to 94%, salty snacks (1+/week) 22 to 64% and sweet snacks (1+/week) 38 to 67% (P<0.001 for all). Consumption frequency decreased for home-brewed alcoholic drinks (1+/week) 16 to 1%, but increased for wine (1+/week) 5 to 33% (both P<0.001). Between 2004 and 2011, consumption frequency decreased for rice (2/day) 62 to 57% and tea (1+/day) 72 to 68%, increased for poultry (1+/week) 86 to 96% (all P<0.01), and did not change for vegetables (70.3 to 69.8%, P=0.65).

Conclusions:

Seychelles is experiencing nutrition transition characterized by a decreased consumption frequency of traditional staple foods (fish, polished rice), beverages (tea) and of inexpensive home brews, and increased consumption frequency of meat, poultry and snacks. Food patterns also became more varied along with a broader availability of products in the 22-year interval. The health impact of these changes should be further studied.

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Acknowledgements

All surveys were funded or supported in part by the Ministry of Health, Republic of Seychelles and the Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (IUMSP), Lausanne. Additional funding came from the Department of Cooperation, Jura Canton, Switzerland (1989); the Swiss National Foundation for Science (1994; Prosper 3233–038792); the World Health Organization (2004) and NHS (grant Health 1R01DK80763) through the University of Loyola, USA (2011). We thank the Ministry of Health, Seychelles, for continuous support to epidemiological research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Preventive Medicine, Lisbon, Portugal

    I Cardoso

  2. Institute of Social and Preventive Medicine (IUMSP), Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland

    I Cardoso, P Bovet & P Marques-Vidal

  3. Ministry of Health, Republic of Seychelles, Maywood, IL, USA

    P Bovet & B Viswanathan

  4. Stritch School of Medicine, Loyola University Chicago, Maywood, IL, USA

    A Luke

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  1. I Cardoso
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to P Marques-Vidal.

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The authors declare no conflict of interest.

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Author contributions

IC made the statistical analysis and led the write up of the article; PB and PMV importantly contributed to the write up of the paper; BV and AL revised the article for important intellectual content. PB had full access to the data and is the guarantor of the study.

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Cardoso, I., Bovet, P., Viswanathan, B. et al. Nutrition transition in a middle-income country: 22-year trends in the Seychelles. Eur J Clin Nutr 67, 135–140 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1038/ejcn.2012.199

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