Netball Shoots for Physical and Mental Wellbeing in Samoa: A Natural Experiment.

Sport-for-development programs claim to address key determinants of recreational physical activity participation and subsequent development outcomes in low-income settings. We conducted a natural experiment with pre-post measures taken from women in the 12 villages in Samoa, some of which voluntarily participated in the sport-for-development intervention. The intervention comprised a six-week netball league delivered by local volunteers who attended coaching workshops, received ongoing support from the national governing body and were provided with infrastructure and equipment to conduct local training sessions.

Access to a Nutritious Diet in Samoa: Local Insights.

The adult obesity prevalence in Samoa is the third highest globally, and diet is a significant contributor. Our study aimed to explore the behavioral and demographic factors which influence diets in Samoa. The most important findings for strategic policy design were: i) cost was the most important reason for food choice, ii) participants reported high rates of consumption of sugary and fatty energy foods - along with high rates of food insecurity, and iii) the food frequency questionnaire findings from our small sample are in line with the existing evidence that the nutrition transition is underway in Samoa.