In
Nauru
Nauru ( or ; na, Naoero), officially the Republic of Nauru ( na, Repubrikin Naoero) and formerly known as Pleasant Island, is an island country and microstate in Oceania, in the Central Pacific. Its nearest neighbour is Banaba Island in Ki ...
, health is challenged by
obesity
Obesity is a medical condition, sometimes considered a disease, in which excess body fat has accumulated to such an extent that it may negatively affect health. People are classified as obese when their body mass index (BMI)—a person's we ...
, limited lifespan and childhood health.
Demographics
In 2013, the 366 live births were divided into 193 males and 173 females.
The average age of mothers at first birth in 2007 was 22.1 years.
The
fertility rate
The total fertility rate (TFR) of a population is the average number of children that would be born to a woman over her lifetime if:
# she were to experience the exact current age-specific fertility rates (ASFRs) through her lifetime
# she were t ...
, (numbers of births per 1,000 women aged 15–49) is 105.
In 2011, 75 people died.
Cardiovascular disease
Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a class of diseases that involve the heart or blood vessels. CVD includes coronary artery diseases (CAD) such as angina and myocardial infarction (commonly known as a heart attack). Other CVDs include stroke, h ...
(44%) and cancer (10%) were the primary causes of deaths in 2002. From 2007 to 2011 the birth rate was 27.2, nearly four times the death rate of 7.5.
The estimated infant mortality rate was 8.21 deaths per live births in 2014.
The age structure is dominated by the 15–64 rate (65.6%), while the population younger than 15 and older than 64 is relatively small (32.5% and 1.8%, respectively). The median age is 21.5.
The sex ratio of the population is 0.91 males per 1 female.
Nauru has the highest
obesity
Obesity is a medical condition, sometimes considered a disease, in which excess body fat has accumulated to such an extent that it may negatively affect health. People are classified as obese when their body mass index (BMI)—a person's we ...
rate in the world. 97 per cent of men and 93 per cent of women are overweight or obese. In 2011, the average
body mass index
Body mass index (BMI) is a value derived from the mass (weight) and height of a person. The BMI is defined as the body mass divided by the square of the body height, and is expressed in units of kg/m2, resulting from mass in kilograms and he ...
was around 34.5. Nauru's obesity rates have been attributed to overconsumption of imported
ultra-processed food
Ultra-processed foods, also referred to as ultra-processed food products (UPP), are food and drink products that have undergone specified types of food processing, usually by transnational and other very large ' Big food' corporations. These f ...
from an economic downturn from the end of
phosphate mining in the region,
which also led to 80% of Nauru's land being unsuitable for agriculture.
Healthcare
Nauru has a
universal health care
Universal health care (also called universal health coverage, universal coverage, or universal care) is a health care system in which all residents of a particular country or region are assured access to health care. It is generally organized ar ...
system, which is provided to all citizens without charge.
The single hospital is the
Republic of Nauru Hospital
The Republic of Nauru Hospital (RON Hospital) is a hospital in Denigomodu District, Nauru. The single hospital is the Republic of Nauru Hospital in Denigomodu District. It was formed by the amalgamation of the government-run Nauru General Hos ...
in
Yaren. It was formed by the amalgamation of the government-run Nauru General Hospital and the private Nauru Phosphate Corporation Hospital in 1999. It offers basic medical and surgical care, along with
radiological
In physics, radiation is the emission or transmission of energy in the form of waves or particles through space or through a material medium. This includes:
* ''electromagnetic radiation'', such as radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visib ...
, laboratory, pharmacy and dental services. The Nauru Public Health Centre offers treatments for diabetes and other obesity-related diseases. This is the only form of specialized medical care. Patients who require additional treatment travel to Australia.
In 2012, an estimated 7.5% of its GDP was spent on healthcare. In 2004, 149 physicians and 557 nurses per 100,000 people were present. In 2012, it was estimated that 26.2% and 22.1% of the population under 15 years of age consumed tobacco and cigarettes, respectively. The population has a life expectancy of 66.4 years at birth, which ranks Nauru 169th in the world.
Médecins Sans Frontières
(MSF; pronounced ), also known as Doctors Without Borders, is a humanitarian medical non-governmental organisation (NGO) or charity of French origin known for its projects in conflict zones and in countries affected by endemic diseases. M ...
provides psychological and psychiatric services and for residents, asylum seekers and refugees since late 2017. It was ordered by the government to stop in October 2018 because it was "perceived to be helping refugees". The situation for children on the island was described as "a humanitarian emergency requiring urgent intervention" by the president of the
Australian Medical Association
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) is an Australian public company by guarantee formed as a professional association for Australian doctors and medical students. The association is not run by the Australian Government and does not regul ...
.
See also
*
Obesity in Nauru
Obesity is a major issue for the Republic of Nauru.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has estimated that 94.5% of Nauruans are overweight or obese, with an obesity rate of 71.7%.
Nauru is known to have the highest rates of obese inhabitants ...
References
{{Oceania in topic, Health in