I’ve been lucky enough to contract to the World Health Organization in the South and North Pacific to take on work in the daunting area of non-communicable disease (NCD) prevention (obesity, diabetes, heart disease, etc). It’s been a privilege, but a task which has no easy solution. Here’s a tale of paradise and paradise lost. The two extremes of what I’ve seen in the Pacific.

The happiest place in the world?

Aneityum is a small island in Southern Vanuatu. It has several villages, each with its own chief and leadership structure. There are no roads, no cars and no electricity. Almost all of the food is grown locally or caught in the sea. There is a growing, but very small, local tourism operation; some cruise ships stop by for a visit, but they are confined to a smaller island, which the locals have given the tourist-friendly name of Mystery Island. So their sole income is from a small amount of tourism. Money is really only needed for education purposes, i.e. for children going to high school on Tanna, the biggest nearby island. There are both English and French schools on the island. Money is also needed for a small amount of clothing. Everyone has moved on from grass skirts and the like and wears Western-style shorts and T-shirts. One of the first things I saw when I arrived was an All Blacks hat. I’m not sure the guy who was wearing it had heard of the All Blacks, though!

The staple diet on Aneityum comprises fruits, vegetables, water, fish, coconut everything and an occasional small amount of imported rice. In terms of exercise, their system of community subsistence agriculture keeps them active all day. We walked four hours to the next village and back in a single day. Here, this is normal activity.

Do they suffer from lifestyle diseases? Very, very little! They’re primarily concerned with other health care, though they are pretty well organised with this, with a dispensary led by a local who is trained in nursing and other aspects of practical health care.

This is paradise found. Real food, real people, and real happiness. These are the happiest people I have ever met. Do they have problems? Yes, of course. Are they healthy specimens? Pretty much. Do they feel they are missing out on something in life? Absolutely not. Would they eat takeaways and sugary drinks if they could get their hands on them? You bet.

Do these people get diabetes easily when exposed to the industrial food diet? Yes, Port Villa, Vanuatu’s capital, is just starting to see the rise of the pandemic there. I just hope and pray that these guys stay as they are.

Happy, healthy kids. Two French speaking little boys give us the thumbs up!

A catch of flying fish and sea salmon. Just paddle your canoe out at night. Put your lantern on and the fish all leap into the boat. When it’s full, paddle in. Simple as that!