Children in Fiji face a triple burden of malnutrition, which includes undernutrition, overweight and micronutrient deficiencies, says UNICEF Pacific representative Jonathan Veitch.
Mr Veitch told a Suva workshop on food systems and nutrition on Friday that more than one third of older children and adolescents were overweight or obese, which put them at increased risk of developing NCDs.
He said at the same time, more than a third of Fijian children were anaemic, weakening their immune system and making children more susceptible to illness and infection.
Mr Veitch said the nutritional gaps also extended to babies, with fewer than half of all babies born in Fiji exclusively breastfed in the first six months, according to the Fiji 2021 Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey.
“Exclusive breastfeeding, without water or other food during this time is essential to protect against illnesses and future NCDs,” Mr Veitch said.
“In fact, one third of children between the ages of 5-19 in Fiji are overweight.”
Mr Veitch said the survey also showed unhealthy dietary practices in older children, adolescents and adults, marked by a low consumption of nutritious foods and high intake of sugar-sweetened beverages – all key risk factors for non-communicable diseases.
Recently, the Health Ministry and UNICEF, in collaboration with other line ministries and partners in Fiji, embarked on a Food Systems and Nutrition Study.
Mr Veitch said the workshop was an opportunity to discuss recommendations that required commitment from all sectors and stakeholders and share findings from the study on individual, social and food environment factors affecting young children, adolescents and pregnant/lactating mothers’ diets in Fiji.
