MEDICAL officials at Labasa Hospital have raised concerns on the growing number of heart attack cases among younger people.
Labasa Hospital acting medical superintendent Dr Mikaele Mua said the hospital’s cardiac lab and coronary care unit were now seeing patients much younger than before.
“We used to see heart attacks mostly in people over 50, especially those with a history of smoking but now, we’re seeing more 30 and even 20-year olds with no smoking history coming in with serious cardiac problems,” he said.
Dr Mua said this shift was largely because of poor diet and lack of physical activity.
He said fast food was more accessible than ever, while many young people were living sedentary lifestyles.
“People hardly walk anymore. This inactivity is really impacting their health.”
He advised the public to take diet and exercise more seriously, pointing out that many of these heart issues could be prevented with simple lifestyle changes.
“We really need to be careful with what we eat. It all boils down to diet and lifestyle.”
Dr Mua called on Fijians to live a more health-conscious lifestyle and encouraged regular exercise and home-cooked meals.