Fiji Times quoted him as saying that noncommunicable diseases are still the main scourge of health in the Pacific and will continue to be for some time.
Ken noted the high prevalence of overweight and obesity among 25-64 age groups.
He said while Fiji was at 62.9 percent it was not as high as American Samoa and Tokelau at 93.5 percent, 93 percent in Nauru, 81.5 percent in Kiribati, 80.1 percent in Marshall Islands, and 73.1 percent in the Federated States of Micronesia (Pohnpei).
He said the prevalence rate of diabetes in American Samoa is 47.3 percent; in Tokelau, 43.6 percent; FSM, 32.1 percent; Marshall Islands, 28.3 percent; Kiribati, 28.1 percent; Nauru, 22.7 percent; and Fiji, 16 percent.
Ken made the comments while opening the Pacific Forum on noncommunicable diseases at the Tanoa Hotel in Nadi on Tuesday.
The gathering involved specialists and health administrators seeking to control the epidemic of noncommunicable diseases in the Pacific.
Organized by WHO and the Secretariat of the Pacific Community, the forum is part of a joint approach to tackle these diseases in partnership with Pacific island countries.
