University of Otago Department of Human Nutrition senior lecturer Dr Edmond Fehoko has received $30,000 from the Health Research Council’s Health Delivery Research Activation Grant to study food neophobia, the fear of trying new food, among Pacific peoples in New Zealand.
Dr Fehoko explained that in that study, food neophobia referred to the fear or reluctance to consume novel foods, specifically fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts and whole grain products, which are the healthy foods Pacific peoples have been encouraged to consume.
"Besides the most obvious barriers, such as financial and environmental, this study seeks to explore the social, cultural and other new barriers."
He will employ a mixed-method study with Pacific communities across Timaru, Oamaru, Dunedin and Invercargill to further understand the challenges of neophobia among them.
In a statement, Dr Fehoko said food played a significant role in familial and cultural settings.
"However, there is a reluctance to eat so-called ‘new foods’ such as fruits, vegetables, seeds, nuts and whole grain products. This, in turn, negatively impacts the health and wellbeing of Pacific families and communities.
"Pacific peoples need to shift behaviours, experiences and ideas around food, more specifically around the need to consume ‘new foods’," he said.
There is a lack of research into food neophobia across Pacific cultures and its potential link to nutritional status.
Dr Fehoko hopes this work will fill that gap and mark the start of broader research aimed at enhancing nutrition outcomes for Pacific peoples.
