Twenty-one-year-old Kali Shaw is a young woman who knows quite a bit about health issues. In fact, it is a topic of great interest.
In a world that feeds off the handout mentality, and with the growing challenges posed by processed food, talking about health issues makes sense. It impacts us all. And one way to effectively deal with our health is through what goes into our mouths, so to speak.
Ms Shaw reckons Fijians should think about their health before they have a reason to worry about it.
She hopes to take this message across the country as a contestant in the upcoming 70th Hibiscus Festival.
She is focused on raising awareness about non-communicable diseases (NCD) and inspiring healthier lifestyles across the country.
Her message is strong. While our genes may influence our vulnerability to disease, the lifestyle choices we make can play a strong role in determining our health outcomes.
Ms Shaw said she grew attached to hospitals from a young age, an experience that helped shape her passion for medicine and her dream of becoming a doctor.
The Mokani, Tailevu native, who has maternal links to Kadavu, is the eldest of four siblings. And being the oldest, she said, has taught her responsibility and strengthened her desire to set an example for those around her.
Her decision to enter the Hibiscus Festival was further influenced by a healthcare outreach program, where she observed people living with non-communicable disease-related conditions, including obesity.
NCDs remain one of the most pressing public health challenges in Fiji, accounting for an estimated 80 per cent of deaths nationwide.
It is when we break this down that we get to realise that diabetes, for instance, is no longer a disease associated only with older adults.
We have cases of children as young as one year and seven months, while 4.7 per cent of those aged 18 to 29 are already living with the disease. That is pretty serious!
An amputation takes place roughly every eight and a half hours, while heart attacks linked to diabetes account for almost half of cardiac admissions and contribute to seven deaths each day.
We have got a lot of soul-searching to do. We need to focus on our eating habits, particularly as processed foods become part of children’s diets at an early age. Many of us live sedentary lifestyles. That is one of our major challenges as well.
So, it is encouraging that young people like Ms Shaw are out there advocating the need for us to be living healthy lifestyles. That is the way to go.
We say, while modern technology has improved our quality of life, it should never replace the need to move, eat wisely, manage stress and care for our wellbeing.
The fight against NCDs demands discipline, commitment and the courage to make better choices every day. We all have a role to play. We have said this before. We cannot take good health for granted, and a healthier Fiji will depend on the choices we make today.
