An Analysis of Healthy Food Access Amongst Women in Peri-urban Honiara.

Highly processed and energy-dense foods are contributing to the high and rising rates of non-communicable diseases and nutrient deficiencies in Solomon Islands. Non-communicable diseases currently cause 69% of deaths in Solomon Islands, and the rate is rising, fuelled in part by limited health system capacity to treat these conditions. Solomon Islands also has the highest reported undernourishment rate in the Pacific. Recent decades have seen several factors change the food and economic environment in Solomon Islands. Importantly, rural-to-urban migration has caused a disconnect between urban residents and access to land and home gardens. This study aimed to examine the complexities of nutritious food access in urban Solomon Islands. Data were collected from 32 women in Honiara, the islands' capital, using a novel survey instrument. There were 3 important findings: (1) the dominant influencers of the diet patterns described by participants in this study were food affordability and access to land on which to grow it, (2) all participants experienced food insecurity, and (3) reported diet patterns reflected unhealthy diets which were particularly high in processed and sugary foods. These findings suggest a need for improvements in the food environment in Honiara. ©Copyright 2021 by University Health Partners of Hawai‘i (UHP Hawai‘i).