Commentary: Assessing food insecurity in Trinidad and Tobago

Gulliford and colleagues report in this issue of the International Journal of Epidemiology on a study in Trinidad and Tobago that investigated whether household food insecurity was associated with obesity in this middle-income country. They found that food insecurity was associated with underweight but not with obesity. Food insecurity was also associated with decreased consumption of fruits and vegetables, a result previously reported in several studies, and with physical limitations, a result previously reported for elders in the US.

Food insecurity, food choices, and body mass index in adults: nutrition transition in Trinidad and Tobago

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated whether food insecurity and obesity were associated in a population sample in Trinidad. METHODS: A sample was drawn of 15 clusters of households, in north central Trinidad. Resident adults were enumerated. A questionnaire was administered including the short form Household Food Security Scale (HFSS). Heights and weights were measured. Analyses were adjusted for age, sex, and ethnic group. RESULTS: Data were analysed for 531/631 (84%) of eligible respondents including 241 men and 290 women with a mean age of 47 (range 24-89) years. Overall, 134 (25%) of subjects were classified as food insecure. Food insecurity was associated with lower household incomes and physical disability. Food insecure subjects were less likely to eat fruit (food insecure 40%, food secure 55%; adjusted odds ratio [OR] = 0.60, 95% CI: 0.36-0.99, P = 0.045) or green vegetables or salads (food insecure 28%, food secure 51%; adjusted OR = 0.46, 95% CI: 0.27-0.79, P = 0.005) on >/=5-6 days per week. Body mass index (BMI) was available for 467 (74%) subjects of whom 41 (9%) had BMI <20 kg/m(2), 157 (34%) had BMI 25-29 kg/m(2), and 120 (26%) had BMI >/=30 kg/m(2). Underweight (OR = 3.21, 95% CI: 1.17-8.81) was associated with food insecurity, but obesity was not (OR = 1.08, 95% CI: 0.55-2.12). CONCLUSIONS: Food insecurity was frequent at all levels of BMI and was associated with lower consumption of fruit and vegetables. Food insecurity was associated with underweight but not with present obesity.

Father-absence and delay of gratification: cross cultural comparisons

This study tested an anthropological hypothesis concerning differences in preference for immediate, smaller (ImR) as opposed to delayed, larger reinforcement (DelR) between two subcultures (Trinidad and Grenada) within the West Indies. The data in the form of choice preferences for ImR or DelR elicited from children in both islands, supported the cultural hypothesis. Further a significant relationship between absence of the father within the home and the greater preference for ImR as compared to DelR was found in both cultures, using subjects aged 8-9. However, this relationship was not found for older subjects (aged 11-14). These results were discussed in terms of increased sources of variance relevant to the information of trust behaviour and expectancies outside the household with increasing age. Data replicating previously obtained differences with respect to preference for IMR as opposed to DelR between two ethnic groups (Indian and Negro) within the island of Trinidad were also presented (Summary)

Delay of gratification, need for achievement, and acquiescence in another culture

This study using 112 Trinidadian subjects aged 11-14, tested the relationship between the preference for immediate, smaller (IMR) or delayed, larger (DelR) reinforcement in choice situations and (a) n Achievement, (b) acquiescence (yeasaying or naysinging in an ambiguous situation). The expected significant positive relationships between preference for DelR and n Achievement were found. The inverse relationship between preference for DelR and acquiescence was, as predicted, also obtained. n Achievement was inversely related to acquiescence but only as a statistically non-significant trend. Responses to a simple open-ended aspiration measure, approriate for use in other cultures, were found to significantly differentiate high and low n Achievement subjects as measured by the standard procedure, more occupational aspirations being given by n Achievement subjects. The possible usefulness of this aspiration measure as an alternative index of n Achievement in field work was suggested. Data on the interelationships between a measure of social responsibility and the other variables were also presented. The overall findings support the usefulness of relatively simple choice situations for eliciting preference for ImR as opposed to DelR in the attempt to elaborate the variables relevant to the ability to delay immediate gratification for the sake of later, larger outcomes, within the context of another culture. The present findings serve to elaborate the network of correlates of choice preferences for delayed, larger gratifications when these are opposed to smaller but immediately available rewards (Summary)