Comparative studies on food consumption and nutrition in three caribbean countries: Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago and Guyana

National food and nutrition surveys in Barbados and Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago are discussed. Demographic, socio‐economic and nutritional data are related to requirements, income, household size and nutrient usages for the two main racial groups. Trinidad emerged as the best fed country with balanced food consumption patterns and nutrient usages. Energy deficiency was the main nutrition problem in Barbados, although the country had adequate supplies of protein and vitamin A through imported commodities like meat and milk products. Guyana had deficiency of energy and protein, although it was the most important regional rice exporting country. As compared to 11 to 32 percent households of Trinidad, 36 to 86 percent and 28 to 63 percent households respectively, of Barbados and Guyana could not meet the requirements of one or more of six other essential nutrients. Higher incomes were associated with improvements in food consumption and nutrient usages; the reverse was true for larger households. Of the two m...