Research from the 1980s indicates that noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), namely diabetes, overweight, high blood pressure and cancer, were not a major health problem in Vanuatu, the Solomon Islands or Papua New Guinea. This is due to the relative prominence of infectious diseases (especially malaria, tuberculosis, pneumonia and intestinal infection), and a high rural proportion of the population.
Nevertheless, anecdotal and some epidemiological evidence indicates that NCD rates started to increase in certain socio-economic groups in Melanesia - particularly in urban-dwelling civil servants, politicians, and professional.
A noncommunicable disease survey from 1985 found increasing obesity, hypertension and diabetes trends in urban populations. Hypertension was particularly significant for women. As for nutrient intake, the survey revealed that rootcrops and plantains were consumed in much larger quantities in rural populations, while white rice, fried food and white bread was more consumed in the urban area.
In 2007, the Ministry of Health Vanuatu and the World Health Organization carried out an NCD risk factor Mini-Steps survey within government ministries and nongovernmental organizations in Vanuatu. Regarding the modifiable risk factors the survey revealed that 67.1% of the screened population is involved in only sedentary activities and 62% are current tobacco smokers. Regarding the intermediate risk factors, 15% of the screened population has hypertension, 11.8% has high blood glucose levels and 22.6% show high cholesterol levels.
66.1% of the screened participants were either overweight or obese.
The Vanuatu Government has acted upon the outcome of this health screening and implemented the Walk for Life programme in 2007 – an intervention that aims to increase Public Service employees’ physical activity levels through Wednesday afternoon activities and beyond.
