Obesity has become an overwhelming issue around the world today and is a potential leading cause of more severe public health problems. The world is a diverse place in terms of environments and cultures and, as a species we influence each other more than is recognized. Environment has played a major role throughout history to answer the questions of how, when, where, why, as the human race, have we come to be as we are today, and ultimately why we are so different. Social environments prove to be a point of diffusion among people and can be used to explain people’s behaviors and values in a community. Food is an intersection between culture and ecology because it has been influenced by how people live their lives in a certain environment. This can be a good or a bad thing, either promoting a healthy diet among peers or instigating “bad” habits, and when countries are developing it seems people trend towards a less healthy diet. We have seen issues with dietary behavior in the United States, such as obesity,
and now these same problems have spread to other areas of the globe. Humans have come a long way from the hunter-gather lifestyle and advanced in many areas to varying degrees, but our drive for more innovation and an easier lifestyle has manifested into a destructive lifestyle for our health.

I have found a true interest in learning about other cultures and environments and using my knowledge to get involved in other communities. My research project grew from my interests in people and health and through my participant observation experience in Fiji has evolved into this research project. I was given the opportunity to apply for a grant through the National Science Foundation and put my knowledge and effort toward learning about and getting involved in other communities. Therefore, I accompanied one of my professors, Dr. Dawn Neill, to Fiji to conduct a small independent research project looking at a shift in diet in urban populations and how that has affected health.