Inhabited only since 1673, Réunion Island has undergone a rapid transformation in its way of life over the past fifty years. A key positive indicator is that life expectancy has increased significantly alongside advances in social and health care. However, this societal upheaval has led to the emergence of “diseases of civilization” such as diabetes and obesity, as well as excessive alcohol consumption. Prevention and health promotion must take into account the coexistence of a Western biomedical model alongside the traditional Réunionese model—that is, two opposing systems of understanding the body and health.