Estimating national food consumption from imports data

Abstract

Understanding food consumption patterns provide us with insights on health issues like obesity, and economic issues such as self-sufficiency. Surveys are often used to determine consumption levels. In this work, we determine if existing databases can provide similarly indicative in formation, without the prohibitive expense. Using import reports from the Bureau of Customs in conjunction with the USDA National Nutrient Database, we describe the per capita food consumption of the Philippines for 2014. Assuming that all food products (including raw and unprocessed foods) are consumed within the same reported year of importation, we are able to provide a detailed description of the possible sources of energy, countries of origin of majority of the food products, as well as build scenarios for budget-constrained nutrient intake.