A genetic-ecological study of the risk foctors for lifestyle-related diseases in Oceanian populations

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We examined the relationships between genetic characteristics and environmental factors associated with the risk factors for lifestyle-related diseases, such as obesity and diabetes, for six Austronesian populations on Oceanian islands. The target populations consisted of one from Tonga, two from Indonesia, and three from the Solomon Islands.Based on the mean body mass index(BMI), the Tongan population was judged ‘obese' and their waist-to-hip ratio tended to increase with age. Significant correlations were found between diabetic morbidity and indices of obesity, such as BMI and waist circumference. The results also suggested that abdomen fatness was a significant risk factor for abnormal glucose tolerance. By contrast, the mean BMI of the Indonesian populations was considerably lower than that of their Tongan counterparts, and they were categorized as ‘normal'. In the Indonesian populations, the fasting blood glucose was significantly correlated with blood pressure, while there was no significant relationship between diabetes and obesity indices. The populations of the three Solomon Islands consisted of two Melanesian groups that differed in their degree of modernization, and one group of Micronesian migrants from the Gilbert Islands (Kiribati). Their average BMI was higher than that of Indonesians, but lower than that of Tongans. Based on the BMI, men were categorized as ‘normal', and women as ‘overweight'. The urine dipstick test revealed that the Melanesian group with the low degree of modernization maintained a traditional diet (e.g., staple tubers, local greens, and fish). The results appear to reflect synergy between genetic characteristics and environmental factors, especially dietary patterns.