The Maltese constantly emerge among the top candidates in the world obesity stakes. Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

The nutritional information of more than 20,000 items has been inputted into a database ahead of Malta’s first food ‘census’ that will start being rolled out after Easter.

The pilot project of the National Food Consumption Survey will be carried out among 100 people in April, while the actual results of the entire study targeting 1,400 people will be finalised by the end of next year.

This survey in intended to give a blueprint of Malta’s eating habits, complete with the exact consumption of salt, sugar, fat and protein, among others.

“This survey will give us a scientific basis on which to build our policies. It will point out what the exact, major causes of obesity in the Maltese population are and allow us to tailor our actions towards specific targets,” Health Parliamentary Secretary Chris Fearne said.

Recognising the gargantuan impact obesity has on the island’s coffers – €35 million by 2020 – Mr Fearne is planning on targeting the problem equipped with the exact knowledge of what is responsible for the nation’s obesity.

Since last summer, health promotion director Charmaine Gauci and her team have been going through the laborious process of inputting the nutritional information of every product available on supermarket shelves and food outlets.

€35m

– the estimated cost of obesity by 2020

The team went into the painstaking process of analysing the different types of breads on the market, as well as getting hold of recipes of traditional Maltese foods such as pastizzi, qassatat and braġoli.

A pilot sample of 100 individuals will be scientifically chosen to determine everything they eat, and the portion size, over 24 hours.

They will be interviewed twice over a six-week period. The body mass index (BMI) will be calculated and urine samples of a small number of participants will be taken to verify the levels of salt, among others. The national survey is being carried out in conjunction with the World Health Organisation and the International Agency for Cancer Research, with specific software bought from the Netherlands’ health promotion unit.

Ms Gauci said the participants will gain through this survey by getting a profile of their dietary habits as well as advice on how to improve their habits.

“This study will provide us with the nation’s eating patterns, the nutrients they’re consuming and establish what’s leading to obesity. So far, we’ve been working ‘blindly’, but this research will help us create an environment that supports healthier lifestyles,” she said.

Mr Fearne is also optimistic that the survey results will highlight the groups requiring increased support.

“Obesity presents the biggest public health challenge of our generation and unless we take action, the problem will continue to grow,” he said.

Two-thirds of deaths in Malta are attributable to cancer and cardiovascular disease alone, both of which have strong links to obesity. The Maltese also constantly emerge among the top 10 candidates for the title of being the most obese or overweight in the world.

Mr Fearne acknowledges that tackling obesity on a national scale will require the participation of all stakeholders – namely government agencies and departments, civil society and NGOs, the media and most importantly the food and beverage industry.

“I am confident this support is already there and will continue to grow once it is evident that our policies are based on hard scientific fact.”