Malnutrition in rural Solomon Islands: An analysis of the problem and its drivers

Abstract

Solomon Islands, like many Pacific Island nations, suffer from the burden of malnutrition. External drivers including population growth, declining agriculture and fisheries productivity and global food trade have contributed to the transition to greater reliance on imported foods. Globally, diets are recognized as both a cause of and solution to the burden of malnutrition. Using a mixed‐method approach this study assessed nutritional status and key determinants of malnutrition among women and young children in rural Solomon Island communities. Quantitative 24‐hour recall surveys identified diets of women and young children in these communities to be very limited in diversity. Typical daily diets comprised of fish, sweet potato (and/or rice) and slippery cabbage (a leafy green) usually boiled in coconut milk or baked. Participatory research using problem tree and biocultural approaches identified basic determinants of poor diets and opportunities to address these challenges. We highlight three domains of opportunity to improve diets across multiple scales; 1) improve nutrition‐sensitive agriculture and fisheries to produce and distribute diverse, productive and nutrient rich foods; 2) nutrition education and empowerment, focusing on the first 1000 days of life, to influence and inform choices regarding food consumption; and 3) reducing the consumption of imported, energy‐rich nutrient poor foods through national and regional policies. These multi‐scale domains highlight that food system approaches that strengthen integrated policy and empower people are essential for healthy and sustainable diets in Solomon Islands and more broadly in the Pacific region.

Sinking Islands, Drowned Logic; Climate Change and Community-Based Adaptation Discourses in Solomon Islands

“…It is well-known that communities in the province are coping with a range of social issues such as alcoholism, crime, and domestic violence [104]. It is documented that 52% of households on Malaita lack access to an improved source of drinking water, that 85% do not have basic sanitation facilities [105], and that 40% of two to five-year-old children in wane asi communities are malnourished [79]. It is also widely acknowledged that public infrastructure in Solomon Islands, such as rural health clinics, schools, roads, bridges, and wharfs, have deteriorated over the past twenty years [106].…”

“…Agricultural development is further hampered by a structural lack of technology, skills, credit facilities, farm-to-market roads, reliable energy supplies, and agricultural extension services [78]. There are a number of concerns about food security and nutrition on Malaita, particularly related to the replacement of traditional diets by cheap, nutritionally-poor imports, such as noodles, and its long-term impacts on health [79]. A number of other interconnected social and political problems, such as youth unemployment, poor healthcare and education, gender-based violence, land tenure disputes, corruption, alcoholism, urbanization, and expectations of modernity further contribute to food insecurity and health problems.…”

Intangible links between household livelihoods and food security in Solomon Islands: implications for rural development

“…Pacific Island food systems are transforming toward a higher proportion of imported processed foods (Snowdon et al 2013, Bell et al 2016. This is also the case in Solomon Islands (Andersen et al 2013, Albert et al 2020) and store-bought foods contribute to the diets of households in Langalanga (Sulu et al 2015). As part of this transition, an increasing reliance on incomegenerating livelihoods for food sourcing might be expected.…”

“…Horticulture is the other main source of food and income for most households. Typical daily diets in the area comprise fish, sweet potato, rice, and slippery cabbage (Albert et al 2020). Most agricultural land is owned by Kwara'ae clans under customary law, which restricts investment in agricultural development by Langalanga people.…”

Relationship of Parenting and Social Support for Working Single Mothers on the Provision of Balanced Nutrition and Nutritional Status of Early Childhood in Coastal Areas

“…Malnutrition in childhood is a global problem (Albert et al, 2020), threatening society (Sirasa et al, 2020). According to Patty and Nugroho's (2019) study, most children under five in coastal areas experience nutritional problems, i.e., malnutrition due to mothers' lack of parenting and social support, food availability, and poverty.…”