Exploring the Nutrition-Related Health of the Ageing Population in Fiji: A Narrative Review.

Fijis' older population aged 55 years and over makes up 14% of the total population and is expected to reach 20% by 2050. This narrative review aimed to examine the health and nutrition status of the aging population of Fiji and sociodemographic determinants. A search strategy was conducted throughout databases, and gray literature from relevant websites was searched. Due to the limited evidence regarding the nutrition, health, and socio-economic factors that impact the aging population in Fiji the inclusion criteria were broad and included both genders (male and female), all publications up until December 2022, all study designs, and gray literature (government/institutional reports, conference proceedings, guidelines, Act, and Policies) . There was no filter for date applied in the search criteria. Studies that did not meet the search criteria were excluded. 20 documents including published articles were included for analysis and result synthesis. Life expectancy at birth for the Fiji population is 68 years. A significant annual increase in mortality rate from endocrine, nutritional, and metabolic diseases has been observed in women aged 75+ but not older men. Women of low-income status are more at risk than men. However, as most investigations aggregate those ≥18 years, there is a lack of information on older adults (≥65 years) health and nutrition status. To improve the health status of older adults, an understanding of the nutritional status of older adults is warranted, especially concerning lifestyle and sociodemographic determinants.fals

Using vocational education to support development solutions in the Pacific: An emphasis on climate change and health

In this article, author(s) reported on the results of the EU PacTVET project, which explored the use of TVET to support resilience in the region with an emphasis on climate change and health. An exploratory design was used to investigate how vocational education supports solutions for climate change and health. The results showed that vocational education plays a significant role in building safety and resilience of people in the region. Most significantly, getting an accredited qualification on health resilience and/or job in the health sector may help them to respond to climate change effectively and efficiently

“God and Tonga Are My Inheritance!”: climate change impact on perceived spirituality, adaptation and lessons learnt from Kanokupolu, ‘Ahau, Tukutonga, Popua and Manuka in Tongatapu, Tonga

Climate change is a significant threat to health and well-being, in particular to people’s spiritual well-being, in coastal areas and communities. This paper describes the findings of a 2013 study on impacts of climate change on people’s spiritual well-being in 5 coastal communities in Tongatapu, Tonga: Kanokupolu, ‘Ahau, Tukutonga, Popua and Manuka, using a concurrent convergence parallel triangulation design. Information was collected from a group of 460 participants aged 15–75 via self-administered questionnaire, in-depth interview (IDI), focus group discussions (FGD) and key information interviews (KII). There was a statistically significant difference between people whose spirituality was affected and those unaffected (p < 0.005). People who were worried and whose physical well-being were affected, emerged as the most strongly affected (χ2(4) = 15.780, p < 0.005). The same factor was explored qualitatively using thematic analytical strategy, and concluded that climate change had affected people’s spiritual well-being, negatively. Lessons learnt from this paper will be useful for people invested in policy practice, and pastorate serving the cause of holistic Climate Change Adaptation (CCA) in Tonga: preaching, fasting and praying to God to reverse climate change and its impacts, help State and Church to adapt more effectively and comprehensively

Influences of climate change on tourism development in small pacific island states

Tourism-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are a central driver of anthropogenic climate change. At the same time, climate change has both direct and indirect impacts on tourism, varying from damages of tourist assets due to extreme weather events, to losses of biodiversity. Small island developing states (SIDS) heavily depend on international tourism as a source of revenue and income. Therefore, much could be gained by assessing the vulnerability of the SIDS tourism sector and by identifying measures that may assist these islands in their sustainable adaptation efforts. Against this background, this interdisciplinary paper provides a review of tourism development and the implications of its emissions on the global climate, linked with observed and projected influences of climate change in the Pacific region, to explain the growing vulnerability of the overall sector, with a particular focus on SIDS tourism. A description of the effects of COVID-19 on international tourism and its consequences for SIDS complement the analysis. Case studies of two Pacific islands present some evidence of current climate impacts, underscoring the multiple risks small island nations and their tourism sectors face. The paper concludes by stating that some measures may be prioritized by decision-makers, so as to increase the resilience of a transforming tourism sector in SIDS

Intentional injury reported by young people in the Federated States of Micronesia, Kingdom of Tonga and Vanuatu

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Intentional injury presents a threat to the physical and psychological well being of young people, especially in developing countries, which carry the greatest part of the global injury burden. While the importance of this problem is recognized, there are limited population data in low and middle income countries that can guide public health action. The present study investigates the prevalence and distribution of intentional injury among young people in three Pacific Island societies, and examines behavioural and psychosocial factors related to risk of intentional injury.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>Population surveys were conducted with <b>s</b>tudents aged 11–17 years in Pohnpei State in the Federated States of Micronesia (n = 1495), the Kingdom of Tonga (n = 2808) and Vanuatu (n = 4474). Surveys measured self-reported injury and intentional injury, sources of intentional injury, and the range of behavioural, psychological, educational and social variables that may be related to injury risk.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>Among boys and girls aged 14–17 years the respective period prevalence of intentional injury was 62% and 56% in Pohnpei, 58% and 41% in Tonga, and 33% and 24% in Vanuatu. The prevalence of intentional injury declined with age in Tonga and Vanuatu, but there was little evidence of an age-trend in Pohnpei. Across the three societies, the major sources of intentional injury among boys were 'other persons' followed by boyfriends/girlfriends and fathers. Mothers, boyfriends/girlfriends and other persons were primary sources of injury among girls. An intentional injury was reported more often by those who had been bullied (OR 1.40–1.66, P < 0.05), by regular smokers in Tonga and Vanuatu (OR 1.52–2.21, P < 0.05), and illicit drug users in Pohnpei and Vanuatu (OR 1.87–1.92, P < 0.05).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Intentional injury was reported extensively in these three populations. Interventions directed towards the school environment and which take into account the role of bullying and drug use need to be considered.</p

Professional development and sustainable development goals

Professional development is defined as a consciously designed systematic process that helps professionals to attain, utilize, and retain knowledge, skills, and expertise. It is simply a process of obtaining skills, qualifications, and experience that help in advancement in one’s career. In the field of education, it is defined as the process of improving staff skills and competencies needed to produce outstanding performance of students. It also refers to a process of improving an organization’s staff capabilities through access to education and training opportunities for better output. Professional development can include a variety of approaches such as formal and informal education, vocational, specialized, or skill-based training, or advanced professional learning

Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Heat-induced Aggregates of Whey Protein Isolate

The work herein was funded by Enterprise Ireland as part of the Food for Health Ireland project, grant number; CC20080001. I. B. O’Loughlin was funded by Enterprise Ireland under the Teagasc Walsh Fellowship Scheme.peer-reviewedThe effects of heat induced denaturation and subsequent aggregation of Whey Protein Isolate (WPI) solutions on the rate of enzymatic hydrolysis was investigated. Denaturation of whey proteins was monitored by reversed-phase and size exclusion HPLC and observed by native- and SDS-PAGE. Treated and un-treated WPI solutions (100 g L-1 protein) were hydrolysed to a target degree of hydrolysis (DH) of 5 % with Corolase® PP. Aggregate formation was monitored using light microscopy, with size distribution determined by particle size. Viscosity and surface hydrophobicity exhibited large increases with heat-treatment and the major protein components in WPI showed differences in their rates of aggregation. Results revealed an increased rate of hydrolysis of protein solutions, which were subjected to a pre-hydrolysis heattreatment. Light and Confocal Laser Scanning Microscopy (CLSM) images illustrated the optical clarification of the solution, weakening of the gel network and disintegration of aggregates indicative of hydrolysis. Comparison of samples where there was a heat-treatment prior to hydrolysis and a control non-treated hydrolysis reaction, revealed significant differences in the time to reach 5 %DH (P < 0.001). The heat-treatments ≥ 75 ºC for 5 min produced significantly (P < 0.001) more rapid reactions than the other 5 heat-treatments and the control un-treated reaction. The viscosity, surface hydrophobicity, and insolubility of the heat-treated WPI solutions subsequently declined upon their hydrolysis. The extensive aggregation in some heattreated solutions was postulated to relate to the congruent increased rate of hydrolysis. This study demonstrated that prior thermal treatment of ≥ 75 ºC for 5 min can accelerate the enzymatic hydrolysis reaction of WPI with Corolase® PP.Teagasc Walsh Fellowship ProgrammeEnterprise Irelan