Obesity in Nauru

[3] In 2007 World Health Organization (WHO) warned Nauru about the dangers of obesity, including heart attacks and premature death.

Since the 1980s, Nauruans have led a sedentary lifestyle with an unhealthy diet, contributing to "the worst health conditions in the Pacific region.

The Government of Nauru and WHO stated that the import of western food significantly reduced the existing culture of fishing and gardening, which led to mineral depletion and economic downturn of the nation.

This has led to Nauruan reliance on processed food, high in both sugar and fat, imported from large Oceanian countries such as Australia and New Zealand.

[4][2] University of Queensland professor and South Pacific researcher Clive Moore stated that obesity is mistakenly seen as a sign of wealth in Nauru.

[5] Due to the cultural association of obesity with wealth, many Nauruans began to view a sedentary lifestyle as preferable to one of hard work and physical exercise, further worsening the crisis.