The Office of Hawaiian Affairs has awarded a $382,000 grant to The Queen’s Medical Center to combat obesity and cardiovascular disease among Native Hawaiians.

The grant will support the Hana Ola Project run by the Maui nonprofit Ma Ka Hana Ka ‘Ike and Queen’s to educate residents about nutrition and physical activity through loi restoration, organic agriculture, kupuna assisted living and the cultural practice of pounding taro.

Native Hawaiians are genetically more susceptible to obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease, according to the University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine.

The program aims to promote cultural activities that incorporate traditional values to “positively impact health and well-being.”

Japan extends economic growth streak

TOKYO >> Japan has extended its growth streak for another quarter. The Japanese economy grew for a seventh consecutive quarter — the longest streak in nearly two decades — according to government data released Wednesday.

Japanese businesses have benefited from rising global demand because of an improving global economic outlook, as well as from sustained financial stimulus measures from the government and the central bank. Unemployment is at a multidecade low, the stock market is buoyant and even the country’s longtime economic nemeses — persistent wage and price deflation — have eased.

Gross domestic product increased 1.4 percent in annualized terms in the three months through September, the Cabinet Office said in the preliminary estimate published Wednesday. The economy has been expanding since the start of 2016, the longest streak of growth since one that began in 1999.

ON THE MOVE

‘Ekahi Health, a member of the ‘ike family of companies, has hired the following new team members:

>> Shauna Graner is a support specialist. Graner has 17 years of sales, administrative and customer service experience, including as an administrative assistant and in sales support for New York Life Insurance.

>> Daniel Tanigawa is a support specialist. Prior to joining ‘Ekahi Health, Tanigawa served as a sales and marketing manager at TeamPraxis, a member of the ‘ike family of companies.