Pasta remains the staple food for most Maltese, with many opting for the Italian specialty for lunch and dinner and more Gozitans than Maltese grow their own food; these facts were revealed in a survey of Maltese eating habits, which was published on Tuesday.
The survey, the first of its kind, was conducted by the Malta Standards Authority and involved 1,045 participants aged between 19 and 65 keeping a diary of what they ate for five days.
It gives an idea of what the people’s habits are, and can help give direction to future national strategies and policies, to counteract the possible negative effects of the food being consumed. More detailed studies are to be carried out in the near future.
It emerged that a higher percentage of Gozitan people grow their own food, with 17.7% opting to eat what they grow, than anywhere else in Malta. As a matter of fact all districts in Malta have fewer than 10% of the population opting to grow their own food.
The survey also revealed that pasta is what many choose for lunch and dinner, although chicken and fish are close seconds. Salads, fresh vegetables and soup are other healthy alternatives the Maltese tend to opt for.
Breakfast is often described as the most important meal of the day, and cereals and sweets, chocolates and biscuits are the most popular with the Maltese, as are processed meats.
Cereals, sweets, chocolates and biscuits are also the most popular as morning and afternoon snacks, although salads and fresh vegetables are also popular.
It is also a known fact that the Maltese people love their bread, a fact which is shown in the survey. As a matter of fact most bread is consumed at lunchtime, with a good amount eaten at breakfast and dinner too.
Bread is high in complex carbohydrates, which can lead to obesity in the long run, MSA spokesperson Mark Anthony Cassar pointed out.
Tea, coffee and hot chocolate are the most popular drinks at breakfast, and also as a morning and afternoon snack, however over lunch people prefer to opt for bottled water.
The survey also revealed that wine is more commonly drunk during dinner, although bottled water, soft drinks and tea, coffee and chocolate are the most common choices.
Fruit consumption is high in Malta, with many people opting for fresh fruit in the three main meals and as morning or afternoon snacks. Comparatively those opting for frozen, canned or other fruit are very low.
Maltese at high end
of obesity scale
These habits were revealed shortly after the European Health Interview Lifestyle report, which found almost 60% of the population to be overweight or obese.
Approximately 22% of the population has a Body Mass Index which is greater than 30, meaning they are obese and 36% have a BMI of over 25, and can be described as overweight.
These statistics led Health Minister Joe Cassar to refer to them as “without a doubt the biggest challenge facing the Maltese people”.
Maltese men have the highest obesity rate in all of Europe, and the women have the third highest obesity rate. Children are no exception, the report reveals, as they were found to have the second highest obesity rate, after the USA.
The average BMI of men is around 28, exceeding that of females by around 1.1 units, as that of women stands at around 26.87. The average Maltese adult is overweight, although females are less so than men.
Based on locality, those with a higher BMI are found in the South Eastern region, where the average BMI is around 28, whereas the average BMI in Gozo stands at around 26.
The BMI of those under 30 (24.84) is significantly lower than that of those aged at least 60, at around 28. The average BMI tends to increase with age, although it stabilises by the age of 50.
It is worth pointing out that not many Maltese adults have an active lifestyle, with the majority owning to exercising for around half an hour, but this twice a week or less.