Recent genetic studies at the University of Pittsburgh have discovered a gene variant which increases the risk of obesity by up to 30-40%, appears in a quarter of all
Previously, it was thought that Pacific Islanders were genetically predisposed to obesity, but new research indicates that it may be the result of the introduction of Western diets to the islands.
Nutrient transmission (change in diet) is the primary cause of the obesity epidemic in the Pacific Islands, with a high amount of imported foods high in salt and fat content grow.
Researchers have discovered a new genetic mutation carried by almost half of Samoans that promotes more efficient fat storage and appears to be associated with about a 35% higher odds of being overweight/obese compared with not having the gene variant.
On the surface, the numbers can seem overwhelming. An estimated 43% of adults in Pacific island countries are obese, based on 2016 data from the World Health Organization (WHO). That's more than three times the global average. Overall, the Pacific region is home to seven out of 10 of the world's most obese countries.
58.4% of adult (aged 18 years and over) women and 43.8% of adult men are living with obesity. Samoa's obesity prevalence is higher than the regional average of 31.7% for women and 30.4% for men and among the highest in the world.
Recent evidence has shown this to be the case with the discovery of a variant in the CREBRF gene found in approximately 25% of Maori and Pacific peoples which is associated with a significant increase in BMI (1.4 BMI units/allele).
African American women have the highest rates of obesity or being overweight compared to other groups in the United States. About 4 out of 5 African American women are overweight or obese.
Table 1 shows that, overall, non-Hispanic Blacks were most likely to be obese (prevalence was 36.1%), followed by Hispanics (28.7%), non-Hispanic Whites (24.5%), and non-Hispanic Asians (7.1%). Mean BMI values for the groups were 28.6, 27.7, 26.9, and 24.0, respectively.
Asians/Pacific Islanders had by far the lowest obesity rates.
Recent studies based on a variety of approaches suggest that modern Polynesians derive from small-sized ancestral populations that were characterized by a large and heavy body-build, such characteristics probably having been acquired through selection associated with natural disasters.
The intergenerational cultural, socio-economic and political impact of Australia's colonisation have led to poor nutrition and health including the forced removal of Aboriginal people from traditional lands and a resultant inability to access traditional food sources as Aboriginal people became more urbanised, were ...
Food insecurity (lack of access to affordable and nutritious food) can lead to obesity and malnutrition. Indigenous Australians experience food insecurity for many reasons, including low income, high food prices and limited availability of healthy foods where they live.
Some scientists believe Tonga's problem is partly down to genetics - that Pacific islanders in the past had to survive long periods without food so their bodies are programmed to cling on to fats.
The island peoples in the Pacific Ocean have a distinct genetic ancestry. Genetic analysis shows their ancestors bred with two groups of ancient humans, the Neanderthals and Denisovans. This link is made by comparing samples of islanders with DNA sequences extracted from remains of these ancient human species.
In fact, Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders are more than three times more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes, compared to non-Hispanic whites. This is due to higher rates of risk factors such as being overweight and obesity, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and smoking.
According to data from the World Health Organization (WHO), the most obese countries are primarily located in the Pacific and the Middle East. The Pacific island nations of Nauru, Cook Islands, and Palau have the highest rates of obesity, with over 30% of their populations being classified as obese.
A non-significant trend emerged for Asians reporting the highest pain threshold compared to all groups, (p =. 10). The study revealed important ethnic differences in pain. Consistent with previous studies, African Americans have a decreased pain tolerance relative to other ethnic groups.
Obesity is more prevalent among American Indian and/or Native Alaskan (31.2%), non-Hispanic black (20.8%), and Hispanic (22.0%) children compared with their white (15.9%) and Asian (12.8%) peers.
In 2017-18, two thirds (67.0%) of Australians 18 years and over were overweight or obese. Slightly more than a third (35.6%) were overweight and slightly less than a third were obese (31.3%). Just under one third (31.7%) were within the healthy weight range and one percent (1.3%) were underweight.
Across racial groups, average women's weights in the U.S. are as follows: Non-Hispanic Asian: 132.4 pounds. Hispanic: 169 pounds. Non-Hispanic White: 170.9 pounds.
Most people probably have some genetic predisposition to obesity, depending on their family history and ethnicity. Moving from genetic predisposition to obesity itself generally requires some change in diet, lifestyle, or other environmental factors.
57.9% of adult (aged 18 years and over) women and 45.5% of adult men are living with obesity. Tonga's obesity prevalence is higher than the regional average of 31.7% for women and 30.4% for men and among the highest in the world.
Adult obesity statistics
there was a significant increase from 2019/20 to 2020/21 for women (31.9% to 35.9%), but not for men. the prevalence of obesity among adults differed by ethnicity, with 71.3% of Pacific, 50.8% of Māori, 31.9% of European/Other and 18.5% of Asian adults obese.
New Zealand has the third highest adult obesity rate in the OECD, and our rates continue to increase.