Lifestyle and behaviour of adolescents living in Pacific Islands countries and territories: dataset from a 2023 pilot study conducted in Vanuatu

Background Lifestyles in Pacific Island Countries and Territories (PICTs) have undergone a rapid transition in recent decades. As noncommunicable diseases and their risk factors (like overweight and obesity) continue to rise, understanding lifestyles and how they could be used in preventive strategies has become more urgent. In response, the European project “Family Farming, Lifestyle and Health in the Pacific” (FALAH), conducted a pilot study in 2023 collecting data in Vanuatu, an archipelago in the South Pacific. Methods Two secondary schools located in two different islands of the archipelago were selected based on their living context (rural and urban), class levels (from years 9 to 11), and student numbers. Approval for the study was obtained from The Ministry of Education and Training, as well as the principals and the deputy principals of both schools. A total of 213 adolescent participants agreed to participate. Data collected in June 2023 included anthropometric measurements (height and weight), and questionnaires covering several fields, including nutrition, physical activity and sleep behaviour, well-being, screen and media use, and perceptions of water availability at school, self-reported weight and health, and biological sampling. In addition, 72 participants were randomly selected and agreed to wear a GENEActiv accelerometer for 5 to 7 days to assess their everyday physical activity. In accordance with ethical guidelines, the dataset has been anonymised by removing or blurring certain information to prevent identification. Resulting dataset The anonymised dataset represents approximately 10 Gb and will be openly available to researchers once the embargo is lifted. The non-anonymised dataset, which contains the original information, represents about 44 Gb and is restricted.