The youngest recorded stroke patient in Fiji was a four-year-old child, raising concerns among health experts about the increasing number of stroke cases across all age groups, including children and young adults.
This was highlighted by Counterstroke Fiji President Elizabeth Reade Fong during fijivillage Straight Talk with Vijay Narayan.
Fong says the four-year-old suffered a stroke following trauma.
There has been a case involving a 19-year-old stroke patient, and one of the patients suffered a stroke at the age of 21 while she was eight months pregnant.
Fong also highlighted the case of a 42-year-old disciplined services officer who suffered a stroke.
She says strokes, once largely associated with older people, are now being diagnosed in much younger individuals, including those in their 20s and 30s.
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Fong believes lifestyle factors are playing a significant role in this trend, pointing to irregular sleep patterns, long working hours and a lack of physical activity as key contributors.
She says Counterstroke Fiji advocates a balanced lifestyle, including eight hours of sleep, eight hours of work and eight hours for rest, family and personal activities, as one way of improving overall wellbeing and reducing the risk of stroke.
Fong says people should also make time for sport, family commitments and community activities as part of maintaining a healthy lifestyle.
