Development Strategy and Governance Division of the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), 1201 Eye St. NW, Washington, DC, 20005, USA.
Global Health. 2021 Nov 27;17(1):135. doi: 10.1186/s12992-021-00787-0.
Papua New Guinea (PNG) experienced positive GDP growth at approximately 4.3% per year during the last decade. With increases in overall wealth within the country, PNG is facing a double burden of malnutrition: comparatively high child stunting rates and a growing overweight and obesity epidemic. We focus on the latter by evaluating trends in agri-food import data from 2001 to 2018 and household consumption data from 2018 and 2009/10.
The analysis presented in this paper raises three red flags. First, international food import data suggest that the demand for ultra-processed, sugar-sweetened beverages and food have increased substantially over time in PNG. Sugar-sweetened beverages dominated the largest growth in processed food imports, increasing by 23% per capita per year between 2001 and 2018. Second, households across the country with a greater food expenditure on sugar-sweetened beverages have a higher probability of an overweight child (under 5 years old). Last, the probability of soft-drink consumption in PNG increases with greater income acquisition and improved market access. While the price of a soft drink is negatively correlated with the quantity consumed, analysis suggests that total household income has a quantitatively larger (and positive) association with soft drink consumption.
Taxing (or increasing taxes on) sugar-sweetened beverages may not be a sufficient policy mechanism to curb overconsumption of soft drinks in PNG. Education and advocacy programs should be fostered that integrate improved dietary information on packaging, as well as greater access to and understanding of nutrition and diet information of common household consumption items. While increases in household income and market access are crucial to economic growth and transformation, PNG's economic transition must be dovetailed with programs that expand and enhance health and nutrition information and education to improve household consumption decisions and overall household wellbeing.
巴布亚新几内亚（PNG）在过去十年中经历了约 4.3%的年 GDP 正增长。随着国家整体财富的增加，PNG 面临着双重营养负担：相对较高的儿童发育迟缓率和日益严重的超重和肥胖问题。我们通过评估 2001 年至 2018 年的农业食品进口数据以及 2018 年和 2009/10 年的家庭消费数据，关注后者。
本文的分析提出了三个问题。首先，国际食品进口数据表明，PNG 对超加工、含糖饮料和食品的需求在过去一段时间内大幅增加。含糖饮料主导了加工食品进口的最大增长，2001 年至 2018 年期间，人均每年增长 23%。其次，全国范围内在含糖饮料上花费更多食物的家庭，其超重儿童（5 岁以下）的可能性更高。最后，PNG 软饮料消费的可能性随着收入的增加和市场准入的改善而增加。虽然软饮料的价格与消耗量呈负相关，但分析表明，家庭总收入与软饮料消费的关联更为显著（为正）。
对含糖饮料征税（或增加税收）可能不是抑制 PNG 软饮料过度消费的充分政策机制。应培养教育和宣传计划，在包装上提供改进的饮食信息，并更好地获取和理解常见家庭消费项目的营养和饮食信息。虽然家庭收入和市场准入的增加对经济增长和转型至关重要，但 PNG 的经济转型必须与扩大和加强健康和营养信息和教育的计划相结合，以改善家庭消费决策和整体家庭福利。
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