A group of health experts, researchers and consumer advocates will launch the Alliance for Healthy Living this week which will work towards changing consumer behaviour.
Sugar sweetened beverages, marketing of unhealthy food to children and making healthy food affordable will be high on the agenda for the group.
Diabetes Fiji Chairperson, Dr. Wahid Khan said they will be targeting families as family units can be the best agent to bring about a positive change in the lifestyles of all its members.
The core founders of the Alliance for Healthy Living are Diabetes Fiji, National Food and Nutrition Centre and the Consumer Council of Fiji who will be assisted by medical and dental practitioners, academics, retired nurses, school teachers and civil society organisations.
Just looking at the Non Communicable Disease situation in Fiji - a 12-year-old is the country’s youngest Type 2 diabetic case, Fiji records one amputation every 12.6 hours and one in five persons is at a risk of having a stroke.
Meanwhile, plans are in place to have food labelling that will also contain Star Rating, something which people see on electrical appliances.
National Advisor for Non Communicable Diseases, Dr Isimeli Tukana said few consumers read and understand nutrition labels and people need guidance in making healthy food choices.
The nutrient profiling will be based on energy, saturated fat, sodium, protein, total sugar and fibre.
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