YAQONA drinking among young Fijians is increasingly linked to risky health behaviours, including tobacco use, unhealthy snacking, and sedentary habits, according to the Fiji 2025 STEPS Survey.
Dr Devina Nand, Head of Wellness for the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, during the official launch of the report, said the research examined yaqona consumption across ages, sexes, and divisions, along with behaviours often associated with drinking.
“Across the ages, both men and women drink kava in similar proportions, though men generally consume more than women,” Dr Nand said.
The survey found that yaqona consumption peaks in adults aged 18 to 59, but continues into older age groups, including those aged 60 to 69.
Dr Nand said drinking was often accompanied by other risky behaviours.
“Both men and women use tobacco during kava sessions, and the rates are highest among younger adults. This is concerning because it sets patterns early that can increase risks for cardiovascular disease and cancer.”
Dr Nand said snacking on salty or sweet foods was also common during kava sessions, with women reporting higher rates of unhealthy eating than men. She said those habits are compounded by sedentary behaviour.
“While people are indulging in these risk factors, they are mostly sitting, consuming unhealthy snacks, and exposed to passive smoke. The findings underscore the need for early interventions and public health education, particularly targeting young adults.”
Dr Nand emphasised the importance of addressing kava-related behaviours holistically, including promoting nutrition, physical activity, and awareness campaigns, to reduce the long-term burden of non-communicable diseases.
Fiji faces rising NCD crisis
FIJI is facing a national health crisis with almost all adults carrying at least one risk factor for non-communicable diseases (NCDs), Health and Medical Services Minister Dr Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu revealed yesterday.
Speaking during the launch of the latest health survey, Dr Lalabalavu said the findings painted a worrying picture of the country’s health status.
“Data shows that nearly two in every family of three, have an NCD of some sort.” Dr Lalabalavu said.
The survey showed that 98.5 per cent of adults aged 18 to 69 had at least one NCD risk factor, prompting the minister to issue a strong warning to the younger generation.
“The younger generation of today should learn from the experiences of their elders, unhealthy lifestyles continued to drive the crisis.”
He said some of the mistakes young people make were inactivity, smoking, eating unhealthy foods, drinking unhealthy drinks.
He warned that failure to change behaviours would have devastating consequences.
“But if the younger generation doesn’t learn from the mistakes of their elders, they will continue this path of destruction in terms of people dying young, people being immobilised because of amputations and so forth, dialysis.”
The minister confirmed that deaths from NCD-related illnesses were occurring at increasingly younger ages.
Young people in the age group of 35 below, we are seeing people dying young of cardiac and NCDs, he said.
He said the ministry would work with the report on the data that had been collated in the survey to ensure how we can reset our way moving forward so that we can achieve the goals that we wanted.
Plan for higher taxes
GOVERNMENT will review possible policy responses, including higher taxation on unhealthy products, after the release of new health data highlighting Fiji’s worsening non-communicable disease crisis.
Speaking at the launch of the STEPS 2025 report, Health, and Medical Services Minister Dr Ratu Atonio Lalabalavu said recent budgets had already introduced higher taxes on sugary drinks, but further action would depend on the findings of the latest survey.
“With the data that we have, we have to really look into how we can address the issues that have been identified within the data,” he said.
Dr Lalabalavu said the survey findings required a broad national response rather than focusing on a single risk factor.
“It covers a whole lot of area, not only sugary drinks but it has to do with lifestyle changes so that in itself you need a holistic approach to it.”
He said the report would now guide Government’s next steps.
“We will work with the report on the data that has been collated in the survey to ensure how we can reset our way moving forward so that we can achieve the goals that we wanted.”
He said tackling NCDs required coordinated action across sectors and sustained public engagement.
Dr Lalabalavu said the Ministry of Health would continue to review policy options as part of its broader strategy to reduce lifestyle-related illnesses and improve national health outcomes.
