The state of the average child’s health continues to be a major concern for the Ministry of Health and Medical Services in Fiji.

This was picked up from the findings of the Global School-based Health Survey (GSHS) Fiji which revealed the unhealthy eating patterns of children in Fiji.

The report was launched last Thursday by the Assistant Minister for Health and Medical Services, Veena Bhatnagar.

The Fiji GSHS was conducted by the Ministry of Education (MOE) and the Ministry of Health (MOH) with assistance provided by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

Ms Bhatnagar highlighted the Non-Communicable Disease (NCD) Strategic Plan 2015-2019 is aimed at contributing towards a healthier Fiji.

“Our key message is that a healthy lifestyle is the key to the prevention of premature deaths and that our individual and collective efforts are important to avert the effects of an epidemic on our families, society and our economy,” she said.

She said the strategy aimed to tackle the basic ills of the NCD sector which included tobacco, alcohol, diet, physical acitivity, clinical and public health services, mental health, injuries, violence and a more general overarching section.

Ms Bhatnagar said majority of the Fijian population was at a high risk of developing NCDs and the issue of high blood glucose.

“STEPS 2011 has also enabled Fiji to analyse the combined risk factors and the population , 2.7 per cent were found to be of low risk, 63.4 per cent moderate and 34 per cent at high risk while one in three Fijian women were found to be anaemic,” she said.

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