A Christchurch programme is getting Pacific children excited about healthy eating by helping them and their families grow fresh food in community gardens.
Led by Dr Suli Vunibola, a lecturer in the Macmillan Brown Centre for Pacific Studies at University of Canterbury and PhD scholar Dr Esala Vakamacawai, the programme aims to drive social and behavioural transformation within Pacific communities.
Concerned about disproportionately high rates of type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases in the Pacific community, Dr Vunibola and Dr Vakamacawai have held local talanoa.
The duo came up with community gardening as a way to provide Pacific people with access to affordable, healthy food and get them moving.
“We could see that gardening was a way to change minds and save lives through collective action,” Dr Vunibola says.
The programme has been running for more than two years and the focus has recently shifted to changing the eating habits of Pacific children aged between seven and 15.
Dr Vunibola’s wife, Sereima Vunibola, who is studying social work at UC, is currently editing a new children’s book written by the children about their experiences in the community gardens and the healthy food they’ve made. “We want this to be not just a programme but a lifestyle, so we’re teaching children health literacy and we believe this will have long-term benefits,” Dr Vunibola says.
The grassroots gardening project involves pooling resources and expertise and using household backyards and affordable materials. There are now more than 20 different gardens being used to grow vegetables that are shared with Pacific families.
Former surgeon Dr Vakamacawai is working for Pegasus Health while completing his PhD thesis which explores how cultural and practical motivation can be used to reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes in Itaukei (Indigenous Fijians) Pacific communities. He says new World Health Organisation research shows Pacific Island countries account for nine out of 10 of the top countries in the world with the highest prevalence of obesity.
“If we want to prevent obesity, we need to educate Pacific children about their eating habits which is what we’re trying to do. It’s easier to bend a tree when it’s still young rather than when it’s fully grown.”
