The revelation that Fiji is lagging behind in its STEPS Non-Communicable Disease Risk Factor Survey is interesting.
Dr Devina Nand, the Health Ministry’s head of Wellness said the survey was critical to find out the health of a country’s population. The STEPS survey, she said, was done by many countries.
It is a World Health Organization tool, she said, and the research tells us how healthy our population is and this is done every 10 years.
The WHO website states: “The WHO STEPwise Approach to NCD Risk Factor Surveillance (STEPS) is a simple, standardised method for collecting, analysing and disseminating data on key NCD risk factors in countries. The survey instrument covers key behavioural risk factors: tobacco use, alcohol use, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, as well as key biological risk factors: overweight and obesity, raised blood pressure, raised blood glucose, and abnormal blood lipids. Through the use of expanded modules, the survey instrument can be expanded to cover a range of topics beyond these risk factors, such as oral health, sexual health and road safety.
“By using the same standardised questions and protocols, all countries can use STEPS information not only for monitoring within-country trends, but also for making comparisons across countries. The approach encourages the collection of small amounts of useful information on a regular basis.”
According to Dr Nand, “our last survey was in 2011, so we are due for another survey and we are in preparation for another survey”.
In our case, the last STEP survey showed that about 70 per cent of our people were overweight and obese.
About 14 per cent of our population, she noted, had high blood sugar, 31 per cent of our population, when screened, had high blood pressure and 31 per cent had taken alcohol in the last 12 months.
It showed that 85 per cent of Fijians did not eat the recommended five servings of vegetables and fruits.
The study, she pointed out, showed factors that contributed to people’s lack of a nutritious diet.
In saying that, we can see what must be done if we are to effectively fight NCDs. We can talk about a lot of things really, but in the end, it is how we live our lives that will matter.
There has to be a change in lifestyle. That must start from within us first.
That will have to include a better dietary plan, exercise for instance, and whether we have the will and courage to discard bad habits.
What will be a matter of concern is the revelation that a comparison of the stats from the previous STEP survey in 2002 with the 2000 study, found that “our figures or our health has actually worsened”.
The onus falls back on us as individuals to do the right thing.
That will mean a commitment today. For many Fijians, this may not be an easy thing to do though!
Understandably there will have to be consideration for factors that may not be conducive to assisting in the need for change.
This will need the powers that be to be engaged and to put in place measures that will be beneficial for everyone regardless of their status in society, and being mindful of economic considerations.
Let’s fight NCDs together.
