title: Perspectives of Fijian Policymakers on the Obesity Prevention Policy Landscape.
abstract: In Fiji and other Pacific Island countries, obesity has rapidly increased in the past decade. Therefore, several obesity prevention policies have been developed. Studies show that their development has been hampered by factors within Fiji's policy landscape such as pressure from industry. Since policymakers in the Fijian national government are primarily responsible for the development of obesity policies, it is important to understand their perspectives; we therefore interviewed 15 policymakers from nine Fijian ministries. By applying the "attractor landscape" metaphor from dynamic systems theory, we captured perceived barriers and facilitators in the policy landscape. A poor economic situation, low food self-sufficiency, power inequalities, inappropriate framing of obesity, limited policy evidence, and limited resource sharing hamper obesity policy developments in Fiji. Facilitators include policy entrepreneurs and policy brokers who were active when a window of opportunity opened and who strengthened intersectoral collaboration. Fiji's policy landscape can become more conducive to obesity policies if power inequalities are reduced. In Fiji and other Pacific Island countries, this may be achievable through increased food self-sufficiency, strengthened intersectoral collaboration, and the establishment of an explicit functional focal unit within government to monitor and forecast the health impact of policy changes in non-health sectors.
authors.affiliation: Academic Collaborative Centre for Public Health Limburg, Regional Public Health Service, P.O. Box 2022, 6160 HA Geleen, Netherlands ; Department of Health Promotion, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, Netherlands.
authors.forename: Anna-Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Hendriks
authors.affiliation: Health Research Unit, Fiji Ministry of Health and Medical Services, P.O. Box 2223, Suva, Fiji.
authors.forename: Mere Y
authors.initials: MY
authors.lastname: Delai
authors.affiliation: Menzies Centre for Health Policy, University of Sydney, P.O. Box 170, Sydney, NSW, Australia.
authors.forename: Anne-Marie
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Thow
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Promotion, NUTRIM School for Nutrition, Toxicology and Metabolism, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, Netherlands.
authors.forename: Jessica S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Gubbels
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Promotion, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, Netherlands ; Department of Health Promotion, NUTRIM School for Nutrition, Toxicology and Metabolism, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, Netherlands.
authors.forename: Nanne K
authors.initials: NK
authors.lastname: De Vries
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Promotion, NUTRIM School for Nutrition, Toxicology and Metabolism, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, Netherlands.
authors.forename: Stef P J
authors.initials: SP
authors.lastname: Kremers
authors.affiliation: Department of Health Services Research, CAPHRI School for Public Health and Primary Care, Maastricht University, P.O. Box 616, 6200 MD Maastricht, Netherlands.
authors.forename: Maria W J
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Jansen
mesh_terms: D005367:Fiji; D033161:Government Regulation; D006291:Health Policy; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control