Food is a big part of significant events in life like births, wedding celebrations and feasts. And the way various national communities cook, eat and perceive food is also a strong representation of their culture.

Traditional meals are passed on to new generations, becoming part and parcel of social identity for centuries. However, such food may not be healthy. I interviewed several young female students at the University of Malta to see what they think about their cuisine.

According to them, Maltese food is appetising, full of flavour, but at the same time unhealthy, due to its high content of oil. For instance, they consider pastizzi (savoury pastries) – a favourite delicacy – to be a ‘a guilty pleasure’ due to the amount of calories they contain.

The main reason why fast food is so popular among the younger generation is because it is within easy distance

The students appeared to be concerned with healthy eating, but said the main reason why fast food is so popular among the younger generation is because it is within easy distance. Pizzerias, burger joints and other fast food outlets can be found in almost every corner, unlike organic or natural food shops.

Since Malta is a Mediterranean country close to Italy, Maltese cuisine cannot escape the influence of Italian food. Many restaurants on the island prepare traditional Italian cuisine. The students felt Italian food is so embedded in Maltese culture it has almost become Malta’s national cuisine.

The students were asked whether they preferred to eat at home or out. One of them said there was no difference. But for the others, eating at home was a better choice. This is because one never knows how fresh food is when one eats out, or how it has been prepared and what it contains. So eating at home may be safer and healthier.

Some of the students believe in diets, but others have no faith in them. They said that although diets work sometimes, most of the time they are extremely unhealthy, and thus, not worth it.

Although Mediterranean cuisine is widely known for its colour, health and nourishment, recent studies show that the Maltese are one of the fattest people in the world. The island’s geography – its valleys and hills – make it hard to cycle between and around different towns. So many end up using cars for even the most insignificant of journeys, such as going to buy groceries.

The students were also convinced that genetics play a significant role in obesity of the Maltese.

Irina Kvashali is reading for a Bachelor of Communications at the University of Malta.

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