The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation says the full extent of a crisis of non-communicable diseases in the region is yet to be fully acknowledged.
Tim Martyn, from the FAO's Fiji office, says over the past few decades, many people have shifted from traditional nutrient-rich diets to cheaper foods high in sugars, salts and fats -- an unintended consequence of trade liberalisation.
He says this has led to a generation of Pacific islanders having some of the highest rates of preventable diseases in the world.
Dr Martyn told Jamie Tahana that health campaigns have raised awareness, but they do little when families can barely afford the healthier alternative, which will be the focus of a major conference this week.
Listen
Tim Martyn from the Fiji office of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation. Photo: UN FAO