A senior Pacific health lecturer says non-communicable diseases (NCDs) can trap families in a “cycle of poverty”.

health survey Nearly all (98.5 per cent) Fijian adults aged 18 to 69 were found to have at least one risk factor for NCDsnearly half live with three or more people.

It also found that more than a third of adults have high blood pressure, but fewer than one in four have their blood pressure under control. And salt intake is twice the recommended intake.

More than two-thirds (68.1 per cent) of adults are overweight or obese, with women particularly affected.

Dr Aliitase Sua Tabila, from the University of Victoria, said NCDs are not just medical conditions, but social, economic, cultural and generational challenges.

She said chronic illness often leads to stress, anxiety and depression, and the financial burden of medical costs can also cause emotional pressure.

“The economic and financial impact associated with high medical costs for medication and reduced work capacity due to illness or disability, so NCDs can trap families and communities in cycles of poverty and economic hardship,” she said.

Mr Tuala said there were many contributing factors, including changing dietary habits, a rapid shift away from traditional diets such as root vegetables and fresh fish to imported ultra-processed foods, aggressive marketing of sugary drinks, and economic constraints and food insecurity in the Pacific region.

Fiji’s Ministry of Health said a whole-of-society response was needed and outlined a five-year roadmap that included strengthening food and fiscal policies, including taxing unhealthy products. and strengthening primary health care.

“Without urgent and sustained action, preventable illnesses and premature deaths will continue to rise,” the ministry said.

The report said it highlighted that NCDs are caused not just by individual choices but by broader factors, including food systems and marketing.

Tuara agreed, saying that addressing the NCD problem in the Pacific requires system-level change, not just individual behavioral changes.

“I believe the most effective strategy is a combination of a healthier environment, stronger health systems, economic and social support, and culturally appropriate community leadership, because the relationship between governments and local communities must also be strengthened so that they can work together to address problems.

“What I emphasize is the importance of strong relationships between governments, or between the health system and the villagers…because it is the implementation part of health policy, so it should be equally strong when formulating health policy.

“The bottom line is, yes, taxes on healthier products and stronger health systems can make a big difference, but they work best when they have strong relationships with local communities.”

Mr Tuala said NCDs in the region are caused by structural conditions, so solutions must also be structural, community-centered and long-term.