Olszowy Kathryn M, Pomer Alysa, Dancause Kelsey N, Sun Cheng, Silverman Harold, Lee Gwang, Chan Chim W, Tarivonda Len, Regenvanu Ralph, Kaneko Akira, Weitz Charles A, Lum J Koji, Garruto Ralph M
Laboratory of Biomedical Anthropology and Neurosciences, SUNY Binghamton, Binghamton, New York.
Department of Anthropology, SUNY Binghamton, Binghamton, New York.
Am J Hum Biol. 2015 Nov-Dec;27(6):832-44. doi: 10.1002/ajhb.22734. Epub 2015 May 19.
The Republic of Vanuatu, similar to other South Pacific island nations, is undergoing a rapid health transition as a consequence of modernization. The pace of modernization is uneven across Vanuatu's 63 inhabited islands, resulting in differential impacts on overall body composition and prevalence of obesity among islands, and between men and women. In this study, we investigated (1) how modernization impacts body composition between adult male and female Melanesians living on four islands of varying economic development in Vanuatu, and (2) how body composition differs between adult Melanesians and Polynesians living on rural islands in Vanuatu.
Anthropometric measurements were taken on adult male and female Melanesians aged 18 years and older (n = 839) on the islands of Ambae (rural), Aneityum (rural with tourism), Nguna (rural with urban access), and Efate (urban) in Vanuatu, in addition to Polynesian adults on Futuna (rural).
Mean measurements of body mass and fatness, and prevalence of obesity, were greatest on the most modernized islands in our sample, particularly among women. Additionally, differences between men and women became more pronounced on islands that were more modernized. Rural Polynesians on Futuna exhibited greater body mass, adiposity, and prevalence of obesity than rural Melanesians on Ambae.
We conclude that Vanuatu is undergoing an uneven and rapid health transition resulting in increased prevalence of obesity, and that women are at greatest risk for developing obesity-related chronic diseases in urbanized areas in Vanuatu.
与其他南太平洋岛国类似，瓦努阿图共和国正由于现代化进程而经历快速的健康转型。现代化进程在瓦努阿图63个有人居住的岛屿上发展不均衡，导致各岛屿之间以及男女之间在总体身体成分和肥胖患病率方面受到不同影响。在本研究中，我们调查了：（1）现代化如何影响生活在瓦努阿图四个经济发展水平不同岛屿上的成年美拉尼西亚男性和女性的身体成分；（2）生活在瓦努阿图农村岛屿上的成年美拉尼西亚人和波利尼西亚人的身体成分有何差异。
除了对富图纳岛（农村）上的波利尼西亚成年人进行测量外，还对瓦努阿图安巴伊岛（农村）、阿内蒂乌姆岛（有旅游业的农村）、恩古纳岛（可通往城市的农村）和埃法特岛（城市）上18岁及以上的成年美拉尼西亚男性和女性（n = 839）进行了人体测量。
在我们样本中，身体质量和肥胖程度的平均测量值以及肥胖患病率在最现代化的岛屿上最高，尤其是在女性中。此外，在更现代化的岛屿上，男女之间的差异变得更加明显。富图纳岛上的农村波利尼西亚人比安巴伊岛上的农村美拉尼西亚人表现出更高的身体质量、肥胖程度和肥胖患病率。
我们得出结论，瓦努阿图正在经历不均衡且快速的健康转型，导致肥胖患病率增加，并且在瓦努阿图城市化地区，女性患肥胖相关慢性病的风险最大。
