The Pasifika Prediabetes Youth Empowerment Programme (PPYEP)

The high prevalence of obesity and prediabetes among the young working age groups of Pasifika people (18-45 years old) is alarmingly high. If left untreated, the likelihood of developing potentially fatal long term conditions is high.

Lifestyle intervention programmes that use a culturally-centred approach, that are led by the community, and consider the social-physical-cultural realities of the environment, are far more likely to be effective in addressing obesity, and prediabetes.

Working in a collaborative partnership with Pasifika communities, this study is implementing two different lifestyle programmes that empower Pasifika communities to lead healthier lifestyles and to live independently:

• Youth empowerment programme obesity study (15-24 year olds)
• Young adults prediabetes study (25-45 year olds)

Both programmes aim to build knowledge, understanding, and skills to empower behavioural changes to reduce the perpetual prevalence of obesity and prediabetes.

This research project is funded by the Ministry of Health, Health Research Council and Healthier Lives National Science Challenge as part of the Long Term Conditions Partnership.

RELATED PUBLICATIONS

Tupai-Firestone R, Matheson A, Prapavessis D, Hamara M, Kaholokula K, Tuisano H, Tevita G, Henderson J, Schleser M, Ellison-Loschmann L. Pasifika Youth Empowerment Programme: a potential public health approach in tackling obesity-health related issues. AlterNative: An International Journal of Indigenous Peoples.2018; 14(1): 63-72.
Tupai-Firestone R, Matheson A, Firestone J, Schleser M, Yee E, Tuisano H, Kaholokula K, Ellison-Loschmann L. Developing principles of social change as a result of a Pasifika Youth Empowerment Programme: a qualitative study. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 2020 (In Press).
Tupai-Firestone R, Faeamani G, Okiakiama E, Funaki T, Henry A, Prapavessis D, Filikitonga J, Firestone J, Tiatia-Sheath J, Matheson A, Brown B, Schleser M, Keawe‘aimoku Kaholokula J, Townsend Ing C, Borman B, Ellison-Loschmann L. Pasifika Prediabetes Youth Empowerment Programme: learnings from a youth-led community-based intervention study. NZMJ, 2021; 134(1530): 57-68.
Tupai-Firestone R, Faeamani G, Okiakiama E, Funaki T, Henry A, Prapavessis D, Filikitonga J, Firestone J, Tiatia-Sheath J, Matheson A, Brown B, Schleser M, Keawe‘aimoku Kaholokula J, Townsend Ing C, Borman B, Ellison-Loschmann L. Pasifika Prediabetes Youth Empowerment Programme: evaluating a co-designed community-based intervention from a participants’ perspective. Kōtuitui: New Zealand Journal of Social Sciences Online. 2021; 16: 210-224.
Prapavessis D. (2020). Synergising youth empowerment and co-design to transform Pasifika youth into agents of social change : a novel approach to advance healthy lifestyles in Pasifika communities. A thesis submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Public Health (PhD), Massey University, Wellington, NZ.