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The prime minister of Tonga has leaders of other Pacific nations to weight. He is them to join the against obesity by part in a one-year-long weight loss challenge. The prime minister, Akilisi Pohiva, the Samoa Observer newspaper that he will the challenge when leaders meet at the Pacific Island Forum in the tiny nation of Nauru in September. He said: "We should all together for a weight-loss competition for an entire year, so when we the following year, we will weigh in again and see who has lost the most." He added: "We have been about the same issue, over the years but it doesn't seem to work."

Mr Pohiva also about Tonga's life expectancy down because of obesity and weight-related issues. He said: "It is now down to 68 years old, yet at one stage it 71. It has significantly." He hopes his weight-loss challenge will Pacific islanders to lose weight. He said: "Once the leaders are to that mindset they would determined to get their people [doing] the same...and from there." The Secretary General of the Pacific Island Forum said Pacific island nations were their fight against child obesity. The World Health Organization said 20 per cent of children between the ages of five and 19 obese in 10 Pacific island countries.