UICC World Cancer Congress 2006

Objective: The Healthy Lifestyle Pasifika Pilot Programme aimed to improve health and wellbeing of Pacific people aged 35+ years through good nutrition and regular physical activity. The burden of non-communicable (NCD) and chronic diseases including diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancer fall heavily on Pacific people. The high incidence of NCDs, chronic diseases including cancer and obesity epidemic among Pacific people is largely preventable and is closely linked to the impact of low socio-economic status, westernization and the subsequent change of lifestyle in their new environment.

Methods: The efforts focused on promoting healthy lifestyle through a generic 12-week programme delivered by trained Pacific Health Services staff. The sessions ran for two hours every week where the first hour consisted of topic presentations (such as cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, nutrition, label reading) and the second hour had a practical focus with aerobic exercise, supermarket tour, cooking demonstration or a visit to the dialysis unit. The education sessions were delivered in some of the Pacific languages.

Results: Despite resource sonstraints, the Healthy Lifestyle Programme was successful in helping people to make healthy lifestyle changes. The participants found that what they learnt benefited their families. As one participant said “I didn't know about the relation of food and cancer. I've learnt about fruit and vegetables and why its good for your body. I cook differently now. I wouldn't have known that without the group programme” . Additional work and resources are needed to extend and increase the reach of the programme.