Phytochemical intakes of the Fijian population

The dietary intakes of major phytochemicals in Fijian population were estimated from the consumption of 90 plant foods reported in five major surveys conducted in Fiji from 1952 to 2001. These surveys included the Naduri Longitudinal study, for which food intake data were collected on four occasions in 1952, 1953, 1963 and 1994), the 1982 and 1993 National Nutritional Surveys, the 1996 Suva-Nausori Corridor cross-sectional study, the 1999 Verata cross-sectional study, and the 2001 Fiji Food Choice study. It was found that the Fijian population generally had low intakes of total phenols (275 mg/day), and total flavonoids (17.5 mg/day), but high intake of total carotenoids (20 mg/day), in comparisons with the intakes of other populations reported in literature. It has been speculated that the change of eating patterns resulting in the low intakes of phytochemicals may have partly contributed to the increase in the nutritionally chronic disease morbidity and mortality among the Fijians. It is further recommended that the traditional Fijian food patterns with high fruits and vegetables should be revived, and the consumption of sweet potato leaves and drumstick leaves, both of which were rich in phytochemicals, should be promoted.