But the most shocking part is the type of food imported. Cheap, processed, canned food. Food with high levels of salt, sugar, and artificial ingredients. White rice, instant noodles, soda, etc. Since people do not have a lot of money, this junk food is the most viable option. So it’s not surprising if people living on this island eat only such junk food. And that the obesity rate on this island shot up so rapidly that today, it is the World’s Most Obese Country.
There’s another island nearby, called American Samoa. That country imports a particular food item a lot Turkey Tails. You would have heard about the bird turkey. In America, on Thanksgiving, many people eat turkey. But there’s one part of turkey which no one wants to eat. That’s the turkey butt. It’s the gland connecting the turkey’s feathers to its body. This gland is filled with oil. 75% of the calories consumed by eating this gland are from fat.
This is actually a waste product. When Americans eat turkey, they throw away this part. Because it is extremely unhealthy. But some companies decided that instead of wasting this part, It could be sold for cheap to some poor countries. This turkey tail is sold in Samoa. Today, Samoans consider this a national delicacy. There, this became a major contributor to high obesity. A gland that produces oil for feathers.
In 2007, Samoa tried to ban the import of turkey tails. But they had to take back the ban in 2013 Because the World Trade Organization said that if Samoa wanted to join WTO, They need to allow free trade. That they would need to allow it being imported into their country.
