Kimesha Walters, Gleaner Writer

While home-grown food still holds its place in Jamaica, a Household Expenditure Survey (HES) has revealed that more is being spent on ready-made meals compared to previous years.

"This is a worrying trend because these meals tend to be higher in calories and fats and may contribute to increased obesity and associated illnesses in all age groups within the population," said the report, which noted that as the pace of life increases, households consume more of these meals.

The survey was conducted over a 10-month period from June 2004 to March 2005 and saw responses from 8,865 households consisting of a total of 30, 612 people.

The findings of the survey were presented on Monday at the Mona Visitors' Lodge and Conference Centre at the University of the West Indies, Mona.

Lack of resources

At the presentation, Sonia Jackson, director general of STATIN, said a lack of human resources prevented the findings from being presented at an earlier date.

The HES highlighted significant differences in spending patterns for the three groups which were used: Greater Kingston Metropolitan Area, which consists of Kingston, urban St Andrew, Portmore and Spanish Town, and Bull Bay to White Horses in St Thomas; other urban centres (OUC); and rural areas.

Compared to 1984, there was a one per cent increase in the consumption of purchased meals in the island. In rural areas, consumption of purchased meals showed the largest increase.

The GMKA has remained the same, while the OUC has decreased.

The survey also highlighted the differences in food choice, distribution of expenditure, employment status of household heads, and showed that the number of female-headed households had increased marginally since 1984.

Ability to perform

"We had hoped that this would have happened before but we have to do things based on our ability to perform," she said. However, Jackson maintained that the information was still important.

She said one cause of the delay was from focusing on providing data for the computation of the Consumer Price Index, which was launched in September 2007, and "is the most commonly used indicator for the rate of inflation in Jamaica".

The director general noted that in order to get more up to date information, another household survey would have to be done to determine if spending patterns had changed.

She said another survey would most likely be done in 2013, as a census is being planned for 2011.

"We can't do it more frequently than once every 10 years," she said, brushing aside the suggestion that it be done once every five years.

"As I indicated, First-World countries are moving to once every five years but we don't have the kind of financial resources, nor human resources, that can allow it to do so every five years."

kimesha.walters@gleanerjm.com