Ozempic isn’t the cure: Tackling Pacific obesity through education

Weight-loss drugs like Ozempic may be gaining popularity in Western countries, but in the Pacific, they’re not a viable solution, and experts say they’re not the right one either. High costs and limited availability make these medications inaccessible for many Pacific communities. Instead, health leaders are calling for a grassroots approach focused on education and lifestyle change. Countries such as Tonga, Samoa, and Nauru continue to grapple with some of the highest rates of obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the world, including diabetes and heart disease. “The only thing we can afford is education ... and it has to start with the young ones,” says Tonga’s Health Minister, Dr Akau’ola. In this story, hear from epidemiologist Courtney Choy, who studies childhood obesity in Samoa, and Mele Mauala, who transformed her health by losing 37 kilograms in a year through diet and exercise.