Fiji’s dual nutrition burden is sharpening, with obesity rising alongside persistent micronutrient deficiencies, health officials warned at the launch of a Front-of-Pack Nutrition Labelling workshop. National Food and Nutrition Centre Acting Manager Kriti Prasad said the country’s diet has shifted away from traditional foods toward heavily processed options high in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats, driving a cascade of health risks across age groups.
Key indicators are moving in the wrong direction. Among children under five, stunting stands at 7.2% and wasting at 4.6%, while nearly 40% are anemic. Overweight in the youngest children is about 7.7%, but the problem escalates in adolescence, where overweight and obesity climb to 34%. Women of reproductive age face a 32% anemia rate, and two-thirds are overweight, while anemia affects nearly 40% of men.
Poor infant feeding practices are compounding the problem. Exclusive breastfeeding rates are just 43% for babies under six months. Although Fiji was an early adopter of protections on the marketing of breast milk substitutes in 2010, those safeguards were weakened in 2016, eroding a key layer of support for families.
Dietary behaviors mirror a broader change in the food environment. Consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is estimated to be about ten times higher than recommended limits, salt intake remains high, and reliance on imported and processed foods has risen to more than 68% since 2009. Local food production has stayed below 50%, making families more dependent on packaged foods. These patterns are visible nationwide: only a small share of adults meet daily fruit and vegetable guidance, ultra-processed products contribute substantially to total energy and sugar intake, and more than two-thirds of adults are now overweight or obese. The consequences are stark—non-communicable diseases account for the vast majority of deaths in Fiji.
Against this backdrop, momentum is building for policy change. Authorities plan to roll out revised school health policies and strengthen school canteen regulations in 2025 to steer children and teens toward healthier choices. Front-of-pack nutrition labelling is also being advanced so shoppers can quickly spot products high in sugar, salt, and unhealthy fats. Health leaders and community advocates have flagged gaps that need attention—such as modernizing the Food Safety framework to support effective labelling and enforcement, closing loopholes in marketing rules that leave older children exposed to aggressive advertising, and ensuring school policies are consistently enforced so healthy options are the default.
What this means and why it matters
– The dual burden is real: undernutrition (stunting, anemia) and overnutrition (obesity) are occurring at the same time, often within the same households. That mix increases lifetime risk for illness and drives health costs.
– Early nutrition sets trajectories: low exclusive breastfeeding and poor infant feeding practices contribute to anemia and growth faltering, which can affect learning and long-term health. Tightening protections around infant feeding and supporting mothers can yield outsized benefits.
– The food environment drives choices: when most available foods are imported, processed, and heavily marketed, individual willpower isn’t enough. Clear labelling, healthier school canteens, and tighter marketing restrictions can shift the default toward better options.
– Youth are at the front line: a significant share of school-aged children are already overweight. Consistent enforcement of school food standards, combined with nutrition education and better labelling, helps families make informed choices.
Practical steps being discussed across sectors
– Implement clear, mandatory front-of-pack labels to flag high sugar, salt, and fat.
– Strengthen and enforce school canteen standards, coupled with nutrition education.
– Restore and extend protections on the marketing of breast milk substitutes and restrict junk-food marketing to children across media.
– Support local agriculture and supply chains to improve access to affordable, traditional, nutrient-dense foods; encourage iron-rich crops to help address anemia.
– Expand and empower the nutrition workforce to monitor products and advise on policy; improve coordination across health, education, and agriculture.
– Promote salt and sugar reduction through reformulation targets and portion guidance; encourage healthier beverage choices.
A hopeful path forward
While the statistics are sobering, Fiji has a clear window to act. The planned school policy updates, a push for front-of-pack labelling, and growing community advocacy show alignment around solutions. Countries that have paired strong labelling, school food reforms, and marketing restrictions with support for local produce have seen improvements in children’s diets and a gradual decline in diet-related risks. With coordinated policies and practical enforcement, Fiji can reclaim its traditional food strengths and build a healthier future for its young people.
Additional comments to add value
– Aligning school procurement with local farmers can simultaneously improve diet quality, support livelihoods, and reduce reliance on imports.
– Training and authorizing dietitians and nutritionists to participate in product monitoring can accelerate enforcement and consumer protection.
– Setting measurable targets—such as reducing sugary drink intake and salt consumption over a defined period—will help track progress and maintain momentum.
Summary
Fiji is confronting a dual nutrition crisis marked by high anemia, stunting, and rapidly rising overweight and obesity—especially among adolescents and adults. Diets have shifted toward processed, imported foods, with excessive sugar and salt intake and low fruit and vegetable consumption. Authorities plan to strengthen school health policies and are advancing front-of-pack nutrition labelling to guide healthier choices. Closing regulatory gaps, enforcing school standards, supporting breastfeeding, and boosting local food production are central to turning the tide. Despite the challenges, coordinated action across health, education, and agriculture offers a realistic and hopeful pathway to better nutrition and health for all Fijians.
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