Central JSM Health Education & Primary Health Care Bringing Excellence in Open Access Review Article *Corresponding author Masoud Mohammadnezhad, Department of Health Promotion, Fiji National University, Fiji, Tel: 679-9726127; Overweight and Obesity in Email: Submitted: 12 June 2017 Pacific: A Systematic Review Accepted: 28 June 2017 Published: 30 June 2017 Copyright Study on Dietary Patterns of © 2017 Mohammadnezhad et al. Pacific People OPEN ACCESS Keywords Masoud Mohammadnezhad1*, Nasser Salem Alqahtani2, Mosese • Overweight V. Salusalu3, and Adam Konrote3 • Obesity • Dietary patterns 1 Department of Health Promotion, Fiji National University, Fiji • Pacific 2Department of Clinical Nutrition, Northern Borders University, Saudi Arabia 3Department of Public health, Fiji National University, Fiji Abstract Introduction and aim: There are many adverse health effects that can arise from poor dietary habits or patterns such as overweight and obesity. Pacific countries are encountered with high prevalence of overweight and obesity while there has never been any study to consider the role of dietary patterns on it. This systematic review study is conducted to assess the available literature in regards to dietary patterns in the Pacific and determine the health impacts and factors contributing towards overweight and obesity. Methods: Based on Cochrane library guideline of conducting systematic review, 6 most frequent used databases were searched using relevant key words to find the studies. All studies such as quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods were included in the search. Moreover studies used in this exercise were published between the 1st of January 2000 and the 1st of January 2017 in the English language was included in the search. Two independent coders reviewed the studies in there stages. The titles of the studies were scanned and the abstract of remaining studies were reviewed and finally the full text of the remaining studies were read to find relevant studies. A data extraction sheet was developed and the data were analyzed using descriptive analysis. Results: Sixteen studies were analyzed and the South Pacific accounted for the most studies with 75% and most of the studies focused on individuals aged 20 and over (56%).The prevalence of overweight is ranged between 14.7% to 50.5%. And obesity prevalence is ranged between 6.1% to 73.9%.Consuming sweet beverages was the most frequently reported dietary pattern (31.25%) which is followed by meals or breakfast skipping (25%). Conclusion: The results of this study highlighted the role of dietary patterns in prevalence of overweight and obesity in Pacific countries. Promoting healthy policy along with developing interventional studies to change people health behavior are strategies which policy makers and health care decision makers need to consider. INTRODUCTION prevalent in low to middle income countries [5]. FAO determined Dietary patterns play an important part in the life of an thatHowever 60% aof majority the global of these caloric nutrient intake deficiencies is met by rice, are foundmaize to and be individual and can have a large impact on their health and wheat which are considered staples throughout the world, wellbeing [1]. Dietary requirements may vary from person to however this does not ensure that all nutrient requirements are person depending on age, gender, lifestyle and degree of daily physical activity [1]. However, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) the principals of what constitute a healthy satisfied [4]. diet remain the same. managerialPacific countries and technical are mostly expertise, characterized as well asby inappropriate geographical Despite the implementation of dietary recommendations managementisolation, low income,systems limited which natural can resources,affect the lackprevalence of sufficient of millions continue to suffer from dietary related illness. Globally, 16 million Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) and 1.7 million socioeconomic indicators such as occupation, education and deaths are attributed to low fruit and vegetable consumption overweight and obesity. Moreover, Pacific people have similar every year [2]. It is estimated that one in three persons is local fruits and vegetables have been substituted by rice, sugar, malnourished which is linked to a total of 3 million child deaths income [6]. Their traditional foods such as fresh fish, meat, and each year [3]. It was also determined by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) that an estimated 2 billion people suffer comeflour, tocanned depend meats, on food canned imported fruits fromand othervegetables, countries soft sodrinks that theyand beerare encountering [7]. Nowadays, with majoritylots of high-fat, of Pacific energy-dense countries foods.have macronutrients found in fresh meat, fruits and vegetables [4]. from macronutrient deficiencies which is due to a low intake of As a result, purchasing these imported foods has reduced the Cite this article: Mohammadnezhad M, Alqahtani NS, Salusalu MV, Konrote A (2017) Overweight and Obesity in Pacific: A Systematic Review Study on Dietary Patterns of Pacific People. JSM Health Educ Prim Health Care 2(2): 1031. Mohammadnezhad et al. (2017) Email: Central Bringing Excellence in Open Access report released by the WHO in 2010 it was found that as a result were scanned by two independent researchers and all studies importance of traditional foods among Pacific population [8]. In a deemedremoved irrelevantFigure 1. At by the the first exclusion stage the titlecriteria of all were found omitted. studies more susceptible to Non Communicable Disease (NCDs) and The remaining studies moved on to the second step were the of abandoning traditional diets, Pacific islanders were becoming abstracts were reviewed and all studies deemed irrelevant were again removed. Finally the full texts of the remaining studies were rathermacronutrient than the deficienciesfresh local grown [8]. These goods diseases which they are onare the commonly rise due reviewed and those studies that met the inclusion criteria were to Pacific islanders opting towards imported and processed foods chosen for further analysis (13 studies). The bibliography of the remaining studies was searched to include 3 additional studies WHOknown found for including that 15 rootout cropsof 16 (Taro,countries Cassava), observed fish, hadleafy at greens least that were not found within the searched databases Figure 1. and an array of seafood[8]. The same report released by the A data extraction sheet was developed including four sections one fifth of their pregnant women and child population suffering such as study information, compilation, methodology and results from anemia. Anemia (Iron deficiency)and similar deficiencies with relevant information being included in the sections. A descriptive analysis was used to analyse the data and the results theare reportmajor problemwhich found in the that Pacific only 20% due toof thethe surveyedlow consumption population of fruits and vegetables by Pacific islanders [8]. This is backed by were reported as percentages using tables and graphs. RESULTS acknowledged that they consumed the required five servings of have been found to have high numbers of overweight and obese Overall, 16 studies were analyzed. As Table 1 shows majority individualsfruits and vegetables as a result daily of poor [8]. diet In addition and over to consumption. this Pacific islanders This has been found to affect an estimated 50% to 90% of the populations studiesof the studies focused were on individuals conducted agedafter 202010 and (87.5%). over (56%). The southMore Pacific accounted for the most studies with 75% and most of the of someWith island the importance countries [8]. of diet in mind there are many health effects that can arise from poor dietary habits or patterns. These mixed method design. In terms of place of study community than half of the studies (56%) were quantitative and 38% were include chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, based studies made up 56% of the studies while school based overweight and diabetes[9]. In addition to NCDs poor dietary studies only made up 43.75% Table 1. goiter, scurvy, and even osteomalacia. Another listed effect of number of studies (6 studies) which followed by Fiji, Vanuatu, habits can lead to macronutrient deficiencies such as anemia, under nutrition is that it increases the risk of death from common TongaAmong (3 studies South Pacificeach) Samoacountries, and New Solomon Zealand Islands had the (2 higheststudies infections and increases their frequency and severity. Also it has been found that in children and infants, malnutrition can hinder 4 studies. American Samoa and Northern Mariana had only one growth, increase the risk of infection and impair cognitive ability study.each). Hawaii was the country in American Pacific which includes [3]. Therefore it can be concluded that there is a need for research total participants were engaged with these studies. 14 studies in relation to dietary patterns and nutrition in order to combat engagedAll of both the studiesmale and were female quantitative participants study and and 2 studies in total engaged 48064 only female participants in the study. systematic review is designed to assess the available literature its effects not only in the Pacific but around the globe. Hence this health impacts and factors contributing towards it. in regards to dietary patterns in the Pacific and determine the METHODS This systematic review