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Suva, Jan 21 (IANS) As many as three in four individuals in Fiji are physically inactive, a situation which is causing rise in health risks for them, the government has said. According to Fiji's National Advisor on Non-Communicable Disease, Isimeli Tukana, the lifestyle in this Fijian generation has changed a lot, especially for the younger population that have been influenced by technology, Xinhua reported. Many children nowadays are obese and that is of growing concern, said Tukana, adding that is why the Ministry of Health is working with the Ministry of Education in promoting more physical education in schools and making it compulsory from the current school term. According to the Ministry of Health, Fiji was recently ranked the fourth-most obese nation in the region. Recent studies in Fiji showed a high incidence of anaemia in children, women and men. Over 60 percent of the island nation's population was overweight while a significant number were affected by deficiency in iron and micro-nutrients, said the statistics released by the ministry. The figures show that a high rate of premature disability with Non Communicable Diseases (NCD), infection and cancer has taken its toll on the population. Earlier this week, the country's Women's Minister Jiko Luveni advised mothers to stock up on healthy foods for their families, saying having green leafy vegetables was vital and buying fruits for children's snacks instead of salted prepacked ones was the way to keep the family healthy.
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