[ad_1]
SUVA, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) – Representatives from 17 Pacific island countries attended Tuesday's two-day health forum in Nadi, the country's third-largest city, to address a serious health problem. obesity in children, in the region.
The Pacific Research Center for the Prevention of Obesity and Noncommunicable Diseases (C-POND) of the School of Medicine, Nursing and Health (CMNHS) of the National University of Fiji (UNF) organized the forum as a secretariat for the Pacific – Ending Childhood Obesity (ECHO) Network.
Dr. William May, Dean of CMNHS, said, "Childhood obesity is a growing problem in the Pacific Islands, affecting the health and well-being of children and increasing their risk of developing diabetes and diabetes. heart disease later in life. "
"The network's ambition is to stimulate and support collective action in four priority areas: the promotion of physical activity, the reduction of children's exposure to the marketing of food and non-alcoholic beverages, promoting and evaluating tax policies such as sugar taxes. " sugary drinks and monitoring of obesity in children, "said May.
According to May, the ECHO network was set up by the Ministry of Health and its Pacific partners, in line with the Healthy Islands vision.
The Minister of Health and Medical Services of Fiji, Dr. Ifereimi Waqainabete, opened the forum Tuesday, stressing the need to make tangible progress towards eliminating childhood obesity.
"We need to make concrete progress on this issue, which concerns not just one or two of the Pacific states, but all Pacific Island countries," he said.
More than 45 participants attended the forum, including representatives from 17 Pacific island countries and territories, technical agencies and academics from regional universities, development partners and representatives of civil society.
The forum, which includes plenary discussions, interactive tasks and creative group exercises in priority areas of the network, will conclude on Wednesday.
Source link
