All are not healthy in Paradise Fiji
I say this as within the Itaukei -traditional Fijians ,(62%of the population ) or Indo Fijian ( 34% of the population) diabetes in both men and women is amongst the highest in the world , there is much obesity (40% adult women and 30% adult men ), prostate cancer is the biggest killer of men, other cancers for women and the excessive drinking of Kava, the traditional Fijian drink of hospitality and communal bonding, is leading to domestic violence and the breakdown of families. There are also concerns about the health of children who are not getting an adequate healthy diet
On my last visit to Fiji in September of this year to Lautoka I met a Filipino female dentist and in Sigatoka an Indo Fijian Church Pastor who both expressed concerns about the health of the people that they were meeting.
The dentist said that in the villages in which she held regular dental and health clinics, the lack of finance meant that villagers would, at times do not eat healthily and have a diet of noodles, bread and cheap sweet, canned drinks. A problem was that they were not growing or eating many vegetables. As a result, both the parents and the children had bad teeth. The dentist should know about these health problems as, several times a year, she visits villages with a team of volunteers to do health clinics.
One thing she noticed was that it was mainly women and children were in attendance at their night clinics as, sadly the men, who probably needed the most treatment were too busy drinking Kava.
The Indo Fijian Pastor had also seen declining health in many overweight people he had met in both nearby villages and Sigatoka, as a result of a diet Indians love that is high in sugar, salt and oil.
Both the dentist and the Pastor also noticed that other problems were that people were neither exercising, as they were too lazy, or also not eating traditional healthy foods. Those in Sigatoka were often choosing fast food ‘take aways” rather than cooking at home
They said that “It seems that People are over eating like there is no tomorrow!”
When I was at a Church lunch in Sigatoka, I was amazed how much food that both and men and women ate that was quite unhealthy!
In response to these health concerns, this Christmas both the dentist and the Pastor are going to give out food parcels of value Aus $ 60 to needy families, containing flour, rice, oil, sardines dhal milk and washing soap for clothes.
That is a great, practical response to a community health problem.
So, what can we learn from this in Brisbane as we approach the long, hot Christmas summer season?
Simply don’t over eat or drink this summer but eat healthily, with plenty of vegetables, fruit, water and limit those Christmas foods high in oil, sugar and salt.
Above all, don’t get lazy and overweight in the summer heat but do some regular exercise with a friend.
I certainly will be eating healthily and exercising regularly over Christmas getting ready for the challenges of 2025 and a return trip to Fiji in February.
By Peter Lane Rai
November 28th 2024
