Stats show that 30% of the population is diagnosed with diabetes – Devi

30 percent of the Fijian population are diagnosed with Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes and most of them have their legs amputated or even die from this.

This was revealed by Sueetal Shitika Devi, a third-year Bachelor of Dietetics and Nutrition student at the Fiji National University.

Devi says this issue is mostly due to cultural barriers for most people, especially when some families don't eat certain foods along with most people who prefer to eat something easy and unhealthy.

She says most people prefer fast foods from restaurants which are mostly unhealthy.

When asked if they are considering that fast food restaurants be closed down because of this issue, Devi says they just can't close the restaurants because most people are earning money for their own families, but instead, they can help them come up with healthier options.

Devi further says even an infant can be diagnosed with diabetes when the child is born due to genetics.

She adds that the chances of getting diabetes increase if a person is physically inactive, eating unhealthy, smoking tobacco, and also drinking alcohol more than five times per day.

Devi has also called on the government to step in and try and come up with a policy to help reduce the consumption of alcohol by people to help counter the rise of diabetes in the country.

She says not only does the government need to step in, but everyone needs to play their roles and help one another come up with healthy options to prevent diabetes.