The tiny western Pacific island of Guam is known mainly for its U.S. military outpost; but it’s also far and away the world’s largest consumer of Spam. After the majority of the U.S. military force that occupied Guam during World War II left, the canned, preserved meat the soldiers ate stayed put. Today, Guam consumes more than 16 cans of Spam per person, per year — more than any other country or territory.In Guam, the salted pork shoulder in a can is central to local culture, with dozens of indigenous recipes calling for Spam. But Guam’s Spam addiction might be doing more physical harm than culinary good: according to one study, 60% of deaths on the island of 150,000 are blamed on poor diet and lifestyle.
