A study of dietary patterns in Fiji's Tailevu Province has concluded there is a need for intervention programmes to address smoking, alcohol and kava consumption by young people.
The study of 52 households, carried out by students from the Fiji National University's Department of Public Health and Primary care says controlling tobacco use and alcohol intake can reduce the growing incidences of non-communicable diseases in the province.
It says from the survey, 85 percent of those aged 22 to 45 years consume kava, 43 percent of them smoke and 42 percent drink alcohol.
The report also calls for an intervention programme at grass roots level to tackle low participation by women in physical activity.
