Assistant Minister for Health Veena Bhatnagar is urging the public to control the food they eat.

She raised the concern when the Health Unit conducted the survey showed increase in obesity.

”Fijian adults 25 to 64 years old have a 60:40 ratio  meaning only 40 per cent of Fijian adults have normal weight while 60 per cent are overweight or obese,” she said.

She said Fijians preferred taking convenience food which affects them.

The National Advisor for Non Communicable Diseases, Dr Isimeli Tukana said Fijians should read labels of the food they bought.

“People should know what the food content show so they choose the right food and make better choices to stay healthy, “he said.

He said people must include fruits and vegetables in their diets because it had nutrients which healed the body faster of a person suffering from sickness.

“The diet rule is to include half plate of fruits in meals because it has all necessary nutrients to fight diseases and keeps you healthy all the time,” he said.

Dr Tukana said the increased reliance on technology had affected people’s diet.

“Nowadays people prefer sitting in office and they use lifts as no body movement takes place and people should know body movement is required to burn calories,” he said.

Obese people would accumulate diseases such as stroke, heart attack, high blood pressure, diabetes and high cholesterol levels. Dr Tukana said people should take regular 30 minutes walk to combat obesity.

“I suggest people to walk faster, brisk walking makes all the seven muscles moves and functions well,” he said.

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