The Pacific Islands has been described as the ‘epicentre’ of the global epidemic of obesity. Pacific adults are among the most obese in the world. The World Health Organization estimates that more 90% of adults in Nauru and Tonga are overweight or obese. In recent years, childhood obesity has increased dramatically and despite multiple global and regional plans and strategies, there are no signs of decline. UNICEF estimates that Niue had one of the highest rates of obesity in children aged 13-15 years in the Pacific. Childhood obesity is a reflection of dietary patterns where almost all food items consumed are imported highly processed items.
Despite the best efforts of Pacific Islands Governments, regional and global organizations, there has been little impact on the growing obesity problem in the region. There are multiple global and regional commitments to NCD prevention and control in the region, including the Pacific ECHO – a regional version of the WHO 2016 Ending Childhood Obesity Commission framework.
There is an urgent need for better implementation of the global and regional commitments, enhanced advocacy, strengthen community engagement and civil society participation. Advocacy can be an effective if affected communities are fully engaged and interventions are evidence based and culturally appropriate. Effective advocacy is an important counter-measure to lobbying by food, alcohol, tobacco industries and global advertisers especially in small island jurisdictions where the regulatory and policy environments are often ignored. The situation requires all stakeholders to intervene at local, regional and global levels.
The presentation will discuss the growing problem of childhood obesity in the Pacific islands and ways of scaling up efforts to prevent and control childhood obesity. Regional organizations need to place limits on the food trade and ensure that the health of children is protected.