Prevalence and spatio-demographic variability of nutrition-related health issues in Kiribati
Abstract The nutrition transition in Small Island Developing States like Kiribati has led to a significant shift from traditional diets to processed, imported foods, resulting in a double burden of malnutrition. This study provides the first comprehensive assessment of nutrition-related health issue...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Nature Portfolio
2025-07-01
|
| Series: | Scientific Reports |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-07152-w |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1849402603143692288 |
|---|---|
| author | Christopher D. Golden Jessica Zamborain-Mason Katherine L. Seto Jessica A. Gephart Jacob G. Eurich Whitney Friedman Heather M. Kelahan Helen Murdoch Kaaro Neeti Michael K. Sharp Eretii Timeon Rosemary Tekoaua Aritita Tekaieti Julien Ayroles |
| author_facet | Christopher D. Golden Jessica Zamborain-Mason Katherine L. Seto Jessica A. Gephart Jacob G. Eurich Whitney Friedman Heather M. Kelahan Helen Murdoch Kaaro Neeti Michael K. Sharp Eretii Timeon Rosemary Tekoaua Aritita Tekaieti Julien Ayroles |
| author_sort | Christopher D. Golden |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract The nutrition transition in Small Island Developing States like Kiribati has led to a significant shift from traditional diets to processed, imported foods, resulting in a double burden of malnutrition. This study provides the first comprehensive assessment of nutrition-related health issues in Kiribati, analyzing data from a nationally representative household survey conducted in 2019–2020 (with over 12,000 participants). We examined anthropometric measures and biomarkers related to both under- and overnutrition across 21 islands, including obesity, anemia, hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. Results reveal high prevalence of overweight and obesity (78.6% in adults), alongside persistent undernutrition in children (23.9% stunting, 6.9% wasting in under-fives). Non-communicable disease indicators were alarmingly high, with 38.5% of adults having hypertension (i.e., stage 2 or hypertensive crisis), 16.5% diabetes, and 87.1% at risk for high cholesterol. Anemia affected 13.8% of the population. Age and sex were significant factors, with older individuals and women generally at higher risk for obesity and related conditions. Geographic analysis showed that total cholesterol and diabetes varied most across islands, while obesity and other markers varied more at the household level. These patterns suggest the need for both island-specific and household-level interventions. Our findings highlight the urgent need for targeted public health strategies and interventions to address the double burden of malnutrition in Kiribati. By providing baseline data on nutritional status and its geographic and demographic variations, this study informs evidence-based policies to improve food security, nutrition, and health outcomes in the face of ongoing environmental and socioeconomic challenges in this vulnerable island nation. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-6dc958b021c84f3ab0cbf53da4d8e206 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-2322 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Scientific Reports |
| spelling | doaj-art-6dc958b021c84f3ab0cbf53da4d8e2062025-08-20T03:37:30ZengNature PortfolioScientific Reports2045-23222025-07-0115111110.1038/s41598-025-07152-wPrevalence and spatio-demographic variability of nutrition-related health issues in KiribatiChristopher D. Golden0Jessica Zamborain-Mason1Katherine L. Seto2Jessica A. Gephart3Jacob G. Eurich4Whitney Friedman5Heather M. Kelahan6Helen Murdoch7Kaaro Neeti8Michael K. Sharp9Eretii Timeon10Rosemary Tekoaua11Aritita Tekaieti12Julien Ayroles13Department of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public HealthDepartment of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public HealthUniversity of CaliforniaSchool of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, University of WashingtonEnvironmental Defense FundUniversity of CaliforniaDepartment of Nutrition, Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public HealthMinistry of Health and Medical ServicesMinistry of Health and Medical ServicesPacific CommunityMinistry of Health and Medical ServicesMinistry of Health and Medical ServicesKiribati National Statistics Office, Ministry of Finance and Economic DevelopmentLewis-Sigler Institute for Integrative Genomics, Princeton UniversityAbstract The nutrition transition in Small Island Developing States like Kiribati has led to a significant shift from traditional diets to processed, imported foods, resulting in a double burden of malnutrition. This study provides the first comprehensive assessment of nutrition-related health issues in Kiribati, analyzing data from a nationally representative household survey conducted in 2019–2020 (with over 12,000 participants). We examined anthropometric measures and biomarkers related to both under- and overnutrition across 21 islands, including obesity, anemia, hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia. Results reveal high prevalence of overweight and obesity (78.6% in adults), alongside persistent undernutrition in children (23.9% stunting, 6.9% wasting in under-fives). Non-communicable disease indicators were alarmingly high, with 38.5% of adults having hypertension (i.e., stage 2 or hypertensive crisis), 16.5% diabetes, and 87.1% at risk for high cholesterol. Anemia affected 13.8% of the population. Age and sex were significant factors, with older individuals and women generally at higher risk for obesity and related conditions. Geographic analysis showed that total cholesterol and diabetes varied most across islands, while obesity and other markers varied more at the household level. These patterns suggest the need for both island-specific and household-level interventions. Our findings highlight the urgent need for targeted public health strategies and interventions to address the double burden of malnutrition in Kiribati. By providing baseline data on nutritional status and its geographic and demographic variations, this study informs evidence-based policies to improve food security, nutrition, and health outcomes in the face of ongoing environmental and socioeconomic challenges in this vulnerable island nation.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-07152-w |
| spellingShingle | Christopher D. Golden Jessica Zamborain-Mason Katherine L. Seto Jessica A. Gephart Jacob G. Eurich Whitney Friedman Heather M. Kelahan Helen Murdoch Kaaro Neeti Michael K. Sharp Eretii Timeon Rosemary Tekoaua Aritita Tekaieti Julien Ayroles Prevalence and spatio-demographic variability of nutrition-related health issues in Kiribati Scientific Reports |
| title | Prevalence and spatio-demographic variability of nutrition-related health issues in Kiribati |
| title_full | Prevalence and spatio-demographic variability of nutrition-related health issues in Kiribati |
| title_fullStr | Prevalence and spatio-demographic variability of nutrition-related health issues in Kiribati |
| title_full_unstemmed | Prevalence and spatio-demographic variability of nutrition-related health issues in Kiribati |
| title_short | Prevalence and spatio-demographic variability of nutrition-related health issues in Kiribati |
| title_sort | prevalence and spatio demographic variability of nutrition related health issues in kiribati |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-07152-w |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT christopherdgolden prevalenceandspatiodemographicvariabilityofnutritionrelatedhealthissuesinkiribati AT jessicazamborainmason prevalenceandspatiodemographicvariabilityofnutritionrelatedhealthissuesinkiribati AT katherinelseto prevalenceandspatiodemographicvariabilityofnutritionrelatedhealthissuesinkiribati AT jessicaagephart prevalenceandspatiodemographicvariabilityofnutritionrelatedhealthissuesinkiribati AT jacobgeurich prevalenceandspatiodemographicvariabilityofnutritionrelatedhealthissuesinkiribati AT whitneyfriedman prevalenceandspatiodemographicvariabilityofnutritionrelatedhealthissuesinkiribati AT heathermkelahan prevalenceandspatiodemographicvariabilityofnutritionrelatedhealthissuesinkiribati AT helenmurdoch prevalenceandspatiodemographicvariabilityofnutritionrelatedhealthissuesinkiribati AT kaaroneeti prevalenceandspatiodemographicvariabilityofnutritionrelatedhealthissuesinkiribati AT michaelksharp prevalenceandspatiodemographicvariabilityofnutritionrelatedhealthissuesinkiribati AT eretiitimeon prevalenceandspatiodemographicvariabilityofnutritionrelatedhealthissuesinkiribati AT rosemarytekoaua prevalenceandspatiodemographicvariabilityofnutritionrelatedhealthissuesinkiribati AT arititatekaieti prevalenceandspatiodemographicvariabilityofnutritionrelatedhealthissuesinkiribati AT julienayroles prevalenceandspatiodemographicvariabilityofnutritionrelatedhealthissuesinkiribati |