_____________________________________________________________
A research paper
submitted to the Department of Environmental Health Science at the Faculty of Health
Sciences
Divine Word University
In partial fulfillment
of the requirement for the Bachelor of Health Science (Environmental Health)
___________________________________________________________________________
JWL & AK
Guide: K. Totona (Mr)
MADANG
2011
Acknowledgement
First and
foremost, we would like to thank God for his imparting knowledge, guidance and
protection through the entire process of the study from the beginning through
to the end. Though, the study was conducted outside of the university and in a
settlement, we have not faced any problems when conducting the research. It was
under his guidance and protection that this research study has finally come to
a completion successfully. Without him, this research would not have come out
fruitfully, otherwise.
Secondly,
we would like to thank our guide Mr. Kari Totona, the Head of Department for
Environmental Health for his continuous guidance on the progress of the
research study and his assistance in providing us with the meter ruler and the
clinical scale that were used in the study. His contributions throughout the
study are highly appreciated. We extend our appreciation to our research course
lecturer and coordinator Mrs. Rose Begani for her guidance and support to the
study for it to come out a success for us.
Thirdly, we
convey our thanks to the research participants at the Sisiak peri-urban setting
for part taking in the research in filling out the research questionnaires,
taking part in the interviews and involved in the gathering of weight and
height measurements. We also, would like to thank Paul Kapo and John Pang for
their tireless support and assistance for us in carrying out the research from
day one up until the data collection process ended fruitfully as initially
planned for.
Finally, we
express our gratitude towards the 2011 final year environmental health students.
They have been very supportive in whatever ways in working together as a class
from the first year in 2008 till the final year. Despite a lot of difficulties
and pain we encountered, some had left, however we have finally made it through
to the end together successfully.
Abstract
This explorative
study purposely investigated the frequency of lamp flaps consumptions and its
impacts on the weights of individual lamp flaps consumers in the Sisiak
Peri-urban setting in Madang. The study further investigated the reasons to
lamp flaps consumptions and the methods of lamp flaps preparations for human
consumptions in the Sisiak area. The researcher made questionnaires, face to
face interviews, physical measurements and observation methods were used for
gathering the raw data for the research study. The study involved a total of
100 participants who voluntarily participated. The voluntary participation in
the data collection gave naturally a random participation of individuals in the
research. From the total, 50 participants were males and the other 50 were female
participants involved. They all aged between 15 and 35 years, who have been
living in Sisiak peri-urban setting for more than three months.
The findings
of the study showed that 66% majority of the obese population in the Sisiak
urban-setting consumed lamp flaps more frequent followed by overweight
population and the underweight population was the least frequent lamp flaps
consumers. It was revealed from the findings of the study that 46% majority of
the total population in Sisiak peri-urban setting was under the normal weight
range whilst 30% of them were under the overweight range and a handful of them
were obese. Further, the findings of the study showed that low price of lamp
flaps was the leading reason (32%) for lamp flaps consumption in Sisiak area
and 23% of them consume lamp flaps because it is more accessible to them whilst
only 10% consume lamp flaps because of other reasons. The findings of the study further revealed
that boiling was the most common preferred method (44%) of lamp flaps
preparation for human consumptions in the Sisiak peri-urban setting and frying
was the second most (35%) preferred method. Other methods such as roasting,
karamap and smoking were the least preferred methods of lamp flaps preparations
for human consumptions in Sisiak peri-urban setting.
Key words
Peri-urban
setting:
A human inhabiting settlement at the outskirts of a city or town
Saturated
fats:
Fats containing triglycerides made up of saturated fatty acids that have
single carbon bonds in their chemical structure
Lamp flaps: meats from sheep that are less than a year old which are killed
for commercial purposes
Mumu: A pidgin word referring to the style of food preparation by steaming
food in an open pit using heated hot stones and banana leaves
Karamap: A style of lamp flaps preparation in Papua New Guinea to which
lamp flaps is wrapped up with greens and boiled for human consumptions
Calories: A measurement of the amount of energy that a food item yields
when consumed and it is measured in joules
Abbreviations
BMI: Body Mass Index
PNG: Papua New Guinea
List of Figures and
Tables
List
of Figures
Page
Figure 1 The reasons to lamp flaps
consumptions in Sisiak area 1
Figure 2 Methods of lamp flaps
preparations for human consumptions in Sisiak
2
Figure 3 Frequencies of lamp flaps
consumptions in Sisiak area 3
List
of Tables
Table 1 Distribution of participants in Body Weight
Ranges (BMI) 4
Table 2 Frequencies of lamp flaps
consumptions for individual BMI range 5
Table of contents
Acknowledgement------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ i
Abstract--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ii
List of Figures & Tables----------------------------------------------------------------------------- iii
Chapter 1 Introduction/ Literature review-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------1
1.1 Statement of the problem---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------2
1.2 Review of Literature---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3
1.3 Significance of the study-------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----- 4
1.4 Statement of objective---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5
Chapter 2 Methodology------------------------------------------------------------------------ 6
2.1 Research design------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 7
2.2 Sample size---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 8
2.3 Instruments--------------------------------------------------------------------- 9
2.4 Procedures---------------------------------------------------------------------- 10
2.5 Data collection---------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11
2.6 Data analysis and interpretation of results------------------------------------------------------- -----------------------12
Chapter 3 Results-------------------------------------------------------------------13
Chapter 4 Discussion-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 17
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 18
4.2 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 19
4.3 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20
4.4 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ --21
4.5 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ - 22
Chapter 5 Summary and general
conclusions----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 23
5.1 Summary------------------------------------------------------------------------ -- 24
5.2 Conclusion-------------------------------------------------------------------------- 25
5.3 Limitations------------------------------------------------------------------------- 26
5.4 Recommendations------------------------------------------------------------------ 27
References----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 28
Chapter
1
Introduction
1.1
Statement of problem
Obesity is
one of the physical symptoms to unhealthy conditions in human health to which lifestyle
diseases evolve from it. Generally the increasing weight of a person is
coincided with increasing obesity level. Obesity levels are clinically
categorized according to the different weight ranges, but it is not worked out
clinically. Obesity is physically observable and is worked out through manual
calculations using weight and height measurements of a person. Fat people are
generally obese than thin people, meaning that fat people exceed the normal
healthy weight range and are obese thus having better chances of developing
lifestyle diseases. At its lower level, obesity is seemed to be of no concern
to human health, but it is risky at its higher levels. Obesity
is closely associated to indolence lifestyles, genetic factors and the dietary
levels of a person. According to Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research
(2011), higher dietary level is the leading
factor to obesity and the evolving of lifestyle diseases.
Dieting is
the leading factor to obesity as obesity depends wholly on the type and amounts
of food that are consumed. Different food stuff yield different amounts of
calories to the body when they are consumed. According to European Food
Information Council or EFIC (2011), lamp flaps is one of
the leading meats that contributes much calories to the body when it is
consumed. This is because of its over 80% fats content that yields 37kilojoules/g
of energy to the body if lamp flaps is consumed to which the excess fats are
readily stored in the body (Hungary
Institute for animal breeding and nutrition, 2010). Lamp flaps is widely
consumed in the world, but its highest consumptions are in the Pacific Region (Herald of New Zealand, 2011). The Herald
of New Zealand further stated that Pacific Island Nations import tonnes of lamp
flaps into the countries where there are high prevailing rates of obesity and
lifestyle diseases. Kila (2010), stated that of the 19% of the lamp flaps
exported to the pacific island nations, PNG alone imports over 40 000 tonnes of
lamp flaps into the country every year. Lamp flaps importations in tonnes
enable its accessibility to the entire country.
Papua New Guinea’s change of lifestyle towards
westernization has greatly affected the diet of its people and their health (Allison, 1995). Most of the staple foods
are either replaced or supplemented by those of the processed or imported
foods. PNG local meats from fish, cuscus and pork meats are replaced or
supplemented with imported and processed meats such as lamp flaps. According to
Kila (2010), PNG elites and members of parliament such as Jamie Graham proposed
that lamp flaps consumption is amongst the leading factors to obesity and
lifestyle diseases in PNG. According to Dr. Vinit, the countries’ national elites are dying
of obesity and lifestyle diseases that really affect the Gross Domestic Product
(Post Courier April 2011). The PNG Government proposed a bill to
ban the importation of lamp flaps from the lamp producing countries such as
Australia and New Zealand as a way of addressing the issue of lamp flaps
consumptions and obesity or lifestyle diseases in the country. The reason (s) to a wider lamp flaps
consumptions in PNG, the relationships between lamp flaps consumptions and
obesity or lifestyle diseases and the extent of prevalence of obesity from
urban centers to rural areas in PNG are necessary to be known.
1.2
Review of literature
Obesity is
the increasing human weight subduing a clinically set standard normal healthy
weight. According to Obesity International Task Force or OITF (2006), obesity is
the main factor to lifestyle diseases s such as diabetes, heart attack and other
cardiovascular diseases. The OITF further stated that
obesity is most common in urban communities in almost all cities and towns in
the world. This international organization stated that obesity is the medical
condition to which the excess fats and other calories taken into the body are
stored in the adipose cells in tissues and organs within the body. Consequently,
this increases the body weight of a person. According to the Center for
Diseases Control and Prevention (2010), obesity is worked out through BMI. The
categories of BMI are; BMI values >30 are considered as obese, BMI between
25-30 are considered as overweight, BMI between18.5-25 are considered as normal
weight & BMI < 18.5 are considered as underweight.
The
prevalence of obesity in the developing countries is associated to change of
lifestyle and replacement or supplementation of local staple food stuff by
introduced and processed food stuff (Alison,
1995). The rapid adaptations to western lifestyle by developing countries
have influenced their diet and the pattern of dieting. The introduced and
processed food stuffs are more accessible, available and attractive for people
to consume than the locally grown food stuffs. This draws away the attention of
people from local staple food stuffs to those of introduced food stuffs,
regardless of the cost they bear. The adaptation to western lifestyle enabled
frequent and increased amounts of dieting on the introduced or processed food
stuffs, which is abnormal to the local lifestyle. Alison (1995) further stated
that Adaptation to western lifestyle has been influencing people’s dieting which
has impacted the health of the people of the developing nations.
Amongst the
introduced and processed food stuff, lamp flaps has either replaced or
supplemented the local meats and meat products in the Pacific Island Nations.
According to European Food Information Council (2011), lamp flaps is the principle meat in the
regions of North Africa, the Middle East, India, part of Europe, and the
Pacific regions. EFIC (2011) further stated that lamb meat consumptions account
for 6% of all the meats’ from animals consumed in the world. It also, stated that New Zealand and
Australia are the leading lamp flaps producing countries in the world where
thousands of tones of lamp flaps are produced every year. Amongst the tonnes of
lamp flaps produced and exported from New Zealand and Australia, 19% of it is
exported to the Pacific Island Nations, including Fiji, Samoa Tahiti, New
Caledonia and Papua New Guinea.
In Papua New
Guinea alone the importation of lamp flaps from New Zealand and Australia
exceeds 40,000 tonnes, costing close to K90 million a year (Kila, 2011). Lamp flaps contains
protein, viatminB12, vitamin B6, Zinc, phosphorus, riboflavin, niacin,
patothenic acid, selenium and vitamin D and its fats contents is over 80% including saturated fats (Hungary Institute for Animal Breeding and Nutrition,
2010). Large importation of lamp flaps enables
its accessibility to most of the settings in PNG, where it is widely consumed.
From urban centers to rural areas, lamp flaps is now a common meat in
celebrations, ceremonies and in special occasions in PNG.
Lamp flaps
because of its 80% fats and its wider consumptions in Papua New Guinea, there
is an emergence of belief and concern that it is associated to obesity,
lifestyle diseases and other undiagnosed deaths in the country (New Zealand Island Business
International, 2007). According to the Herald
of New Zealand (2011), previous studies done in PNG indicated
that 28% of the men in PNG are obese or overweight, whilst 38% of all women in
PNG are obese to some extent. The concerns relating to the associations between
the lamp flaps consumptions and obesity or the undiagnosed deaths alerted the
Papua New Guinean Government to ban lamps flaps importations from lamp flaps
producing countries particularly New Zealand and Australia into Papua New
Guinea. Some bureaucrats in Papua New Guinea have opposed the bill proposed by
relevant parliamentarians and other health concerned stakeholders.
1.3
Significance of the study
This
explorative study was to investigate any association (s) between the lamp flaps
consumptions and obesity and to document the findings of the study for the
knowledge on this area of study. It also, would like to provide data for any
future studies on this setting of study.
The study
aimed at providing scientific data on the consumptions of lamp flaps and
obesity with other objective related findings for the relevant and concerned
authorities on the issue of lamp flaps consumptions and obesity specifically
for Papua New Guinea. This is for the provision of data for authorities for
making any informed decisions on the issue of lamp flaps consumptions and
obesity in Papua New Guinea.
1.4 Statement of objectives
a.
General objectives
To examine the availability of lamp flaps in the Sisiak Peri-urban
setting and the frequency of lamp flaps consumptions by the Sisiak settlers.
The aim of this is to find out any association (s) between the frequency of
lamp flaps consumptions and obesity that related to lifestyle diseases.
b.
Specific objectives
i. To document any association (s) between the consumptions of
lamp flaps and obesity
ii. To investigate the leading reasons to lamp flaps consumptions
in the Sisak Peri-urban setting
iii. To investigate the methods which are frequently used to
prepare lamp flaps for human consumptions
Chapter 2
Materials and
Method/methodology
2.1 Research design
The
research was an explorative study that merely investigated the frequency of lamp
flaps consumptions and the weight range (BMI) of individuals in the Sisiak
peri-urban setting to find any correlations between them. The study also,
investigated the reasons to lamp flaps consumptions in Sisiak. The study
investigated the methods of lamp flaps preparations for human consumptions as
lamp flaps fats are reduced at different levels in those ways of preparations.
The research study used researcher made questionnaires for the first 30% of the
participants and the other 70% were face to face interviewed. The height and
weight measurements of all participants had been taken before they were separately
issued with questionnaires and interviewed.
2.2 Sample size
The sample
size of this explorative research study strictly consisted of 100 participants
who were residents to the Sisiak peri-urban setting for more than three (3)
months. Out of the 100 randomly selected participants, 50 of them were males,
whilst the other 50 were females and they all aged between 15 and 55 years of
age. From the 100 total participants, 30% of the participants were given
questionnaires to fill in and the remaining 70% of them were individually
interviewed. Out of the 30 questionnaires distributed, 25 of the questionnaires
were promptly filled and returned and 5 questionnaires were not returned or
went missing after they were issued. Of the 70 participants that were interviewed,
63 of them have successfully completed the interviews, whilst 7 of them have
not completed the interviews and left during the interviews. The weight and
height measurements of the fully participated individuals were carefully taken
and recorded separately.
2.3 Instruments
The
explorative study was carried out using the researcher made questionnaires,
face to face interviews and measuring weights and heights of all participants.
The questionnaires were written in Pidgin to suit the semi-educated settlers at
Sisiak and the responses given were later translated and recorded in English.
Similarly, all interviews were conducted in Pidgin and the responses given by
the individual interviewees were translated into English and all were separately
recorded in English.
The heights of the participants were taken
using a 2meter ruler carefully made from a plane timber to which the measurements
and the markings were similar to a standard 1meter blackboard ruler. The weight
measurements of the participants were taken using a calibrated clinical scale.
The measurements taken were all recorded using biros in a response recording
structured white sheets of papers. Close observations were made on each
participant in the data collection process, ensuring the accuracy and relevance
for the collected data.
2.4 Procedures
An official
letter was sent to the Sisiak Ward Six Councilor for his approval and his
permission to conduct this explorative study on the council ward that is under
his care. When waiting for approval from the councilor, a pilot test on the
appropriateness of the questionnaires and the use of instruments for
measurements was done at the DCA Compound and all the irrelevances were
corrected. Upon the council’s approval, the study was conducted for collection
of raw data, starting from May and came to completion in August, 2011. The
study was conducted on Wednesdays, Fridays and on Saturdays amongst the communities
only within the Sisiak peri-urban setting. In the researcher made
questionnaires, the columns to required and wider responses were provided, but
for interviews, the participants were given the opportunity to express their
thoughts and ideas during the interviews. Due to less number of participants
willing to take part in the research in each scheduled day for research, it
took much time from May to August for the completion of data collection process.
Until then, the required and relevant raw data was available for data collation
and data analysis for the study.
2.5 Data analysis
The data collected
from the data collection process were collated and analyzed separately
according to the set of questions produced in the questionnaires and the set of
questions asked in the interviews conducted. Each set of data were separately
collated manually on the blank white sheets of papers before they were entered into
the laptop computer for processing. Some collated data were initially entered
into the school given laptop computer using the Microsoft excels for processing
and formulation of graphs and pie charts for data interpretations. The graphs
and pie charts produced were then copied and pasted onto the Microsoft word
documents for further reading, interpretations and for understanding. Other data were directly entered into the
tables using Microsoft word. Percentages of the tallies and frequencies of
collated date entered into table were worked out using Microsoft word. The raw
data was then became reliable information which was readable, interpretable and
understandable for the study.
Chapter 3
Results
 |
| Add caption |
Figure: 1 shows 31% of population in Sisiak consume lamp flaps
because it is cheap, 23% consume it because it is easily accessible, 20%
consume it because of its sweet taste and 16% of the population consume lamp
flaps because there is less accessibility to other meats whilst 10% consume it
for other reasons.
Figure: 2 shows 45% of the population in Sisiak prefer boiling
method, 35% prefer frying and 14% of them prefer mumu whilst 6% prefer other
methods.
Figure: 3 shows
29% of the population in Sisiak consume lamp flaps 2_4 times per week, 24%
consume lamp flaps 2_4 times every two weeks, 23% consume lamp flaps 2_3 times
a month whilst 20% of the population consume lamp flaps 1-3 times a day and 4%
consume lamp flaps once every month.
Table: 1 showing the range of weights (BMI) and the number of
individual responses with their percentages.
Range of
weights (Body Mass Index)
|
No of
individuals
|
Percentage
(%)
|
Under weight (Less than 18.5)
|
12
|
14
|
Normal weight (18.6-24)
|
41
|
46
|
Over weight (25-30)
|
26
|
30
|
Obese (More than 30)
|
9
|
10
|
Total
|
88
|
100
|
Table:
2 showing frequencies of lamp flaps consumptions by the number of individuals
in each of the BMI ranges.
Frequency of lamp
flaps consumptions
|
1-3 Times/day
|
3-4 Times/week
|
2-4 Times/2week
|
2-3 Times/month
|
Total No of
individuals
|
Under
weight
|
0
|
2
(16.5%)
|
2
(16.5%)
|
8
(67%)
|
12
(100%)
|
Normal
weight
|
5
(12%)
|
6
(15%)
|
9
(22%)
|
21
(51%)
|
41
(100%)
|
Over
weight
|
9
(34%)
|
10
(38%)
|
4
(15%)
|
3
(11%)
|
26
(100%)
|
Obese
|
6
(66%)
|
2 (23%)
|
0
|
1(11%)
|
9 (100%)
|
Chapter 4
Discussions
4.1 The reasons to lamp flaps consumptions in the Sisiak peri-urban
setting
The results
of the study showed that lamp flaps is widely consumed in Sisiak area because
it is cost effective for purchasing it. Out of the total population, 32% of the
population purchase lamp flaps for consumptions because it is very cheap to
purchase it than other alternative meat and meat products in the area. As it
was noted above that 40 000 tonnes of lamp flaps are imported to Papua New
Guinea every year and consequently the lamp flaps supply is high makes it a
cheap meat alternative for the people in Sisiak area. Like any other peri-urban
settings in PNG, it was observed that most people in Sisiak area are
illiterates or semi educated that they have no highly paid jobs, thus they rely
on lamp flaps for their meat supplements for their diets as it is affordable to
them. As Island International Business (2011) mentioned above, the lamp flaps producing
countries regard lamp flaps as a waste and low quality meat that is produced and
exported in large quantities has greatly impacted the supply and the price of
lamp flaps in the Sisiak peri-urban setting like any other settings in PNG.
The findings
of the study also indicated that 24% of the population consumes lamp flaps
because it is more accessible to them. It was observed that the Sisiak
peri-urban setting is within the Madang Urban Center which makes more
accessibility to butcheries, retail outlets and other shops that sell lamp
flaps either in bulk or in small affordable scales. It was observed that even
lamp flaps were bought in bulk, it was prepared in various methods and it was sold
in small pieces at the local community markets within the Sisiak area. If
people can not afford to buy lamp flaps at the shops in large quantity, they
still go for small pieces of lamp flaps that were sold at the local markets
which were affordable to them.
It was revealed from
the findings of the study that a portion of the population in Sisiak peri-urban
setting consumes lamp flaps because of its taste. Out of the total population,
21% of them consume lamp flaps as it tastes sweet for them. It was observed and
tried out that some of the methods of lamp flaps preparations for sales
especially at the local markets including frying and karamap were attractive
and tastes sweet for human consumptions. Other household methods of lamp flaps
preparations such as boiling and mumu had also given a sweet taste for those
who prefers them.
The
findings of the study further revealed that 17% of the total population in
Sisiak area consumes lamp flaps because the accessibility to other meats and
meat products were limited. From the responses given at the interviews, it was
noticed that there were no rivers or seas close by for catching fish and hunting
grounds for cuscus or wild pigs local for local meats. Even tinned fish and tinned
meats were accessible, they were expensive to afford for the Sisiak settlers
compared to local readily made pieces of lamp flaps that were sold at 20 toea
to k1.00 per piece, which were easily affordable.
Amongst the
other reasons to lamp flaps consumptions to the Sisiak peri-urban setting, only
6% of the population consumes lamp flaps because other minor reasons such as
religious beliefs that other local meat are unclean for them.
4.2 Methods of lamp flaps preparations for human consumptions
The findings
of the research study showed that the majority of the total population in
Sisiak area prefers boiled lamp flaps for consumptions. This method of lamp
flaps preparation was the leading method (45%) that was widely used by the
people in Sisiak to prepare lamp flaps for consumptions. It was the method that
the people boil lamp flaps with greens and vegetables for the entire family
consumptions at major meal times. Because of the 80% fats content, lamp flaps
when boiled provides oils for greens and vegetables and other foods that are
boiled with it especially in a sauce pan. Some people like greasy food stuff
such as greens and vegetables that are boiled with lamp flaps and so they
prefer this method. It was observed that
most people in Sisiak area were migrants from rural areas especially the
Highlands Region of PNG where this method of food preparation is commonly
preferred and used. This is because they were used to preparing large amounts
of greasy pork meats for consumptions. The pork fats storage in their bodies
keeps them warm in the cold climate. Therefore majority of the people in Sisiak
preferred boiling method than other methods.
Out of the
total population in Sisiak, 35% prefer to consume fried lamp lamps. In Sisiak
peri-urban setting, there were a lot of informal markets involving the selling
of fried lamp flaps in small affordable pieces. Every day people gather at small markets and
were exposed to fried lamp flaps. Frequent consumptions of fried lamp flaps
enabled a handful of people to prefer frying method. Moreover, fried lamp flaps
is more attractive in appearance for consumptions and it enhances the taste of
lamp flaps when it is consumed and so a handful of the population in Sisiak
peri-urban setting prefers this method.
The study revealed that Mumu was the third (14%)
common method of lamp flaps preparations for human consumptions in Sisiak area.
This is the method that is used for preparations of lamp flaps in large
quantities for a greater number of people’s consumptions. It is a common method
at big gatherings such as parties, church gatherings and other significant
social occasions. This is the method to which lamp flaps is steamed with greens
and vegetables that enhances its taste to which some people prefer it. This
implies that those who consume lamp flaps from this method are people who go to
party or to special occasions and favored the taste of lamp flaps prepared in
this way. This is because mumu is the common method used in big gatherings
where large amounts of lamp flaps are prepared for consumptions. Therefore,
A small
percent (5 people) of people prefer other methods of lamp flaps preparations. Other
methods include roasting and smoking of lamp flaps for human consumptions.
4.3 Frequency of lamp flaps consumptions
From the
results of the study, it was seen that 29% of the total population consume lamp
flaps 3 to 4 times a week. This showed the extent of lamp flaps consumptions in
the Sisiak area was widely consumed. The implication of this is that the
majority (29%) of the total population in Sisiak area consumes lamp flaps at
least every week. The wider consumptions of lamp flaps correlated to the easy
accessibility of lamp flaps to the people and the wider distribution of lamp
flaps from retail outlets and from the local markets. Out of the total population, about 24% of them
consume lamp flaps 2 to 4 times every two weeks. This indicates that
approximately one quarter of the people in Sisiak area consume lamp flaps at
least once every week. The other portion of the population about 23% of them consumes
lamp flaps 2 to 3 times a month. This showed that some people in Sisiak area
consume lamp flaps infrequently once or twice in a month. The remaining 20% of
the population consumes lamp flaps 1 to 3 times a day. This implied that one
fifth of the people in Sisiak area consume lamp flaps every day.
4.4 Range of body weights (BMI)
The findings
of the study showed that 46% of the total population in Sisiak area was under the
category of normal weight category (BMI of 18.5-25). This revealed that the majority
of the Sisiak settlers were under the safe weight range despite consuming lamp
flaps. As scientifically stated by the International Obesity Task Force, 46% of
the population were under the normal weight range balanced their calories
intake with their body calories expenditure or they take enough calories only
for their body needs. It was also found from the study that 30% of the
population was under the overweight category. This implies that 30% of the
population in Sisiak area was on the edge of becoming obese because they were
nearing the BMI above 30 which was the obese body weight category.
The
findings of the study also revealed that 10% of the population in Sisiak was in
the obese weight category. This showed that those people who were inactive or
take too much fatty foods such as lamp flaps that subdue their body
requirements became obese. The excess calories taken into their bodies were stored
in their bodies as fats and consequently this has increased their BMI. On the
other hand, 14% of the total population was in the underweight category. This indicated
that 14% of the population in Sisiak peri-urban setting was at the edge of
becoming malnourished. This signifies that they did not take enough calories
into their bodies to meet their body calories requirements resulted in
underweight categories clinically.
4.5 Associations between the frequency of lamp flaps consumptions
and BMI
The findings
of the study revealed that 66% majority of the obese population in Sisiak area
consume lamp flaps 1 to 3 times a day. The high frequency of lamp flaps
consumptions by the 66% majority of the obese population signifies that because
of its 80% fats content, lamp flaps have impacted the BMI of the obese
individuals. This denoted a significant finding to the study that showed a correlation
between the lamp flaps consumptions and obesity. From the total overweight
population, about 34% of them consume lamp flaps 1 to 3 times a day. This
showed that a handful of overweight population in Sisiak area consume lamp
flaps every day. Whilst, only 12% of the normal body weight population consumes
lamp flaps 1 to 3 times a day. This indicated that the people that were having
normal body weight have low frequency of lamp flaps consumptions.
Further the
findings of the study showed that 67% of the underweight population consumes
lamp flaps 2 to 3 times a month. The frequency of lamp flaps consumptions for
the underweight people in Sisiak area was very low denoting that infrequent
lamp flaps consumptions did not have any effects on their weights. For those who have normal body weights, 51% of
them consume lamp flaps 2 to 3 times a month. This indicated that about half of
the normal body weight population in Sisiak area was infrequent lamp flaps
consumers. Their low frequency lamp flaps consumptions resulted
to them having no effects of lamp flaps consumptions to their weights. That means
their infrequent calories intake was just enough for their body needs and no
calories was stored in their bodies. Out
of the overweight population, 11% of them consume lamp flaps 2-3 times a month.
This showed that 11% of the obese people in Sisiak area despite that they did
not frequently consumed lamp flaps, they were still obese. The above findings
of this research revealed a pattern in the frequency of lamp flaps consumptions
by the different body weight categories and their BMI. It was revealed by the
study that the frequency of lamp flaps consumptions increased from the
underweight population up to the obese population.
Chapter 5
5.1 Summary
This
explorative study investigated the associations between the consumptions of
lamp flaps and obesity among the settlers at the Sisiak peri-urban setting in
Madang. The study also investigated the ways of lamp flaps preparations for
human consumptions. Further, the study investigated the reasons to lamp flaps
consumptions in Sisiak. The study used researcher made questionnaires, face to
face interviews, measurements and physical observations for data collection. A
total of 100 participants were voluntarily participated in the study; however12
of them were either did not hand in their questionnaires or left during the
interviews resulting in a total of 88 participants whom were fully participated
in the study. 30% of the sample population were given the researcher made
questionnaires whilst, 70% of the sample population were interviewed after the
height and weight measurements for all individual participants were taken. The
main findings of the study are summarized as follows;
Ø The study revealed that the frequency of lamp flaps consumptions
was the highest in the obese population and decreased down to the underweight
population. That signified an underlying aim of the study to which a
correlation between the lamp flaps consumption and obesity was notified.
Ø It was seen from the study that the low price of lamp flaps was
the leading reason to lamp flaps consumption in Sisiak peri-urban setting
followed by the close accessibility to lamp flaps.
Inaccessibility of other meat and meat products for
consumption was the second least reason and other reasons shared the lease
percentage.
Ø It was found that boiling was the main method of lamp flaps
preparations for human consumptions and mumu was the least method of lamp flaps
preparation for human consumptions in the Sisiak peri-urban setting.
Ø It was seen that the vast
majority of the population in Sisiak were healthy, some were obese and a
handful of them were underweight.
Ø The study indicated that a larger portion of the population in
Sisiak consumes lamp flaps two or three times a week and a few people consume
lamp flaps once or twice a month.
5.1 Limitations
The
research only concentrated on the frequency of lamp flaps consumptions and the
BMI to find out any associations between lamp flaps consumptions and obesity.
There are other factors that contribute toward obesity such as genetic factor,
amount of calories intake and the calories expenditure of a day and the
activity level of each individuals that were not taken into consideration in
this explorative research study. The results would have been more precise if
other factors to obesity were independently controlled to see the effect(s) of
one factor.
During the
process of collecting the data, most young people aged 15 and above were willing
to participate whilst, people aged above 40 were reluctant to participate. This
gave unequal distribution of individuals in each of the
aged groups because the study concentrated on the participants aged between 15
and 55. It would have been better if equal number of individuals in each of the
age groups had participated and the data would have been representative of all
age groups.
Some participants were
reluctant to remove their shoes and other heavy clothes when asked to stand on
the clinical scale even they were asked to do so. Some kilograms were deducted
from shoes and heavy clothes worn, but this was through guessing. The readings
of weights would have been more accurate if shoes and other heavy clothes worn
by those participants were removed before they stood on the scale.
5.2
Recommendations
In the light of the
above findings of this explorative research study, the following
recommendations are made.
Future research on this area should more focus on
all the factors that contribute to obesity rather than concentrating on
consumptions of lamp flaps alone. In doing so the result would turn out for
each individual factor’s effects on obesity.
There is a need for more studies in this area in
urban, peri-urban areas and in rural areas of Papua New Guinea. From there, the
extent of lamp flaps consumptions and obesity from urban areas to rural areas would
be clearly identified in all settings in Papua New Guinea. Until then, a
decision undertaken by the Papua New Guinean Government on the ban of lamp
flaps would be relevant, appropriate and fair to all settings in Papua New
Guinea.
Lamp flaps
should not be banned in Papua New Guinea. Rather the lamp flaps importation
from overseas should be regulated so that the parts of commercial sheep that
contain 80% saturated fats must be removed and only the meat components of lamp
should be imported for human consumptions and for human health.
4.5 Conclusion
The findings
of the explorative research study showed that 46% majority of the entire
studied population in Sisiak was under the normal weight range and only 10% of
the population was obese. This showed that most people in Sisiak area are
healthy from obesity but only few are vulnerable to develop lifestyle diseases
that are related to obesity. Also, the findings of the research study showed
that the cost effective and accessibility of lamp flaps were the leading
reasons to wider lamp flaps consumptions in the Sisiak peri-urban setting. It
was further identified that boiling and frying were the most common methods of
lamp flaps preparations for human consumptions in the Sisiak peri-urban
setting. Moreover, the findings of the explorative research study revealed that
obese population in Sisiak peri-urban setting consumes lamp flaps more frequent
than the underweight population. This showed that the BMI of the population in
Sisiak area increased coincidently with increasing frequency of lamp flaps
consumptions. This signified that there was an association between the
frequency of lamp flaps consumptions and obesity in the Sisiak peri-urban
setting in Madang.
References
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