Lifestyle
diseases or Non-Communicable Diseases, NCDs for short, are unhealthy conditions
attributed to shifts in the way people live their lives, often due to
advancements in the society. One primary cause of NCDs is consumption of
unhealthy diets such as fast foods or junk foods. These diseases are emerging
with greater frequency and are a greater concern in developing countries.
Examples of these diseases and conditions include cancer, heart diseases, high
blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and obesity. It is argued that individuals who
are physically inactive, smoke, drink alcohol and rely on fast, ever ready
foods have a greater chance of contracting these diseases (Christensen,
2013).
Fast food (or
junk food) is the name given to food that can be prepared and served quickly,
often served at basic restaurants or in packaged form for convenient
takeaway/takeout. It is typically inexpensive to buy but unhealthy to eat. Fast
food is often highly processed and produced on a large scale to decrease costs.
Ingredients and various menu items are typically prepared at a different
location before being sent to restaurants to be cooked, reheated or quickly put
together for the customer’s convenience (Fast Foods Facts, 2013). These foods generally contribute lots of calories but
little nutritional value to the body (Magee, 2013).
Fast foods are available almost everywhere we go. We often see
much of them in supermarkets, restaurants, gas stations, and along roadsides.
Interestingly, they are also found in mainstream media publications-Television,
radio and newspapers. Examples of these
fast foods include coke, chips and chicken, fries, hot dogs, meat pies, Big
Roosters, breakfast cereals and Kentucky Fried Chicken (Fast
Foods Facts, 2013). Popular snack foods are usually
commercially prepared and packaged, like chips, cheese puffs, candy bars, snack
cakes, and cookies (Magee, 2013).
The problems with junk foods are that they are low in satiation
value - that is, people don't tend to feel as full when they eat them - which
can lead to overeating and junk food tends to replace other, more nutritious
foods.
Globally, deaths from NCDs amounted to 57 million in 2008, 36
million, or 63%, were due to NCDs, principally cardiovascular diseases,
diabetes, cancers and chronic respiratory diseases. As the impact of NCDs
increases, and as population age, annual NCD deaths are projected to continue
to rise worldwide, and the greatest increase is expected to be seen in low- and
middle-income regions (Global Status Report on Non Communicable Diseases,
2012).
Due to increased awareness of public
health and obesity levels, efforts have been made by developed nations to
improve fast food menus by lowering fat levels or at least offering healthier
alternatives. Some developed countries like Russia, USA and Australia ban fast
food outlets near schools (Wale’s top doctor proposes fast food ban near
schools, 2013). However, in PNG, the bill to ban sales of fast foods is
strongly opposed by the majority of the people. For example lamb flaps. In his
own words, Mr Maxton-Graham said that lamb flaps contain almost 90 per cent of
fat but very small portion of protein. It does not help the body but destroys
it. It is an unhealthy and disgusting food with so much fat in it which does
not help the body at all. However, the public claimed that sales of fast foods
such as lamb flaps contribute in a big way to their families’ income (Kelola,
2009).
Traditionally, Papua New Guinea’s
disease profile was dominated by communicable or infectious diseases alone.
However, due to transition of economy and increase in urbanisation, it is
likely that PNG would face a double burden health crisis. That is, persistence
of communicable diseases and growing burden from lifestyle diseases.
Currently,
as mentioned in the NHP 2011-2020, Vol1, Policies and Strategies, p.12,
admission cases from these NCDs were low in frequency. As a result, there were
not much planning and consideration given to NCDs. However, the plan goes on
and said that mortality and morbidity from these NCDs were expected to be
prevalent in the next decade. Surprisingly, PNG is already being hit by NCDs
sooner than we expected.
Lifestyle
diseases such as diabetes 2, obesity, high blood pressure and ailments of the
heart are expected to be prevalent in Papua New Guinea in the next decade due
to high penetration of energy-rich Western foods and markets, excessive
consumption of Western foods and urbanisation (National Health Plan,
2011-2020).
The National Research Institute warns these lifestyle diseases are fast
becoming major causes of death for many Papua New Guineans
(Vincent, 2013). These diseases are robbing the country of many of its
productive workers between the ages of 35 and 50. For a fledgling economy such as PNG,
that cannot be good news because it means more and more of our brightest and
best talents are succumbing to preventable diseases and, thus, leaving voids in
experience and quality in the nation’s educated and skilled workforce (Lifestyle
Diseases a killer in Papua New Guinea, 2013).
Up
to date there is little done to address this issue and many of these people
know little about these diseases, as mentioned by Dr. Amana (Vincent, 2013b).
There are not much awareness and advocating done to address this issue.
Lifestyle diseases are here to stay and would affect peoples’ lives. A 2008
country report on NCDs revealed that 57 900 people (PNG) die from NCDs alone.
These give raise to serious questions like;
— Are
Papua New Guineans aware that whatever they take into their bodies have impacts
on their health?
— Why
eating fast foods?
— Is
there enough awareness done on investing in proper eating habits?
— Are
there any control measures in place to regulate import and sale of fast foods?
— Are
the fast food retailers following PNG food safety measures before selling fast
foods?
So what now?
How to protect the food choices of the people is a big Question
with capital letter Q. If we go back and take a closer look at the National
Health Plan 2011-2020, Volume 1, Policies and Strategies, we would find that
NCDs were not mentioned as a Key Result Area (KRA) of their own. This is a
dilemma here because how can resources be mobilised and plan to curd this new
trend of diseases if they are not being taken seriously as a treat to healthy
lifestyle. It should have been made a KRA so that we are prepared in advance.
So instead of having eight KRAs, we will have nine KRAs. The ninth one will be
“Reducing the burden of Non Communicable Diseases and should have the following
objectives;
·
Effective
Surveillance and Monitoring of NCDs
·
Ensuring
retailers of fast foods comply with PNG food safety standards
·
Regular
food inspection by food safety officers, environmental health officers or
similar professionals
·
Scale up
prevention and treatment of NCD cases
·
Ensuring
effective legislations on import and sale of fast foods
Recommendation
Making “Reducing the burden of NCDs” a KRA would help transform
the island of PNG into a healthy, middle-income earning country.
Christensen, E., T (2013).
What are lifestyle diseases?
Retrieved June 9, 2013, from http://www.wisegeek.com/what-are-lifestyle-diseases.htm
Fast
Foods Facts, (2013). Retrieved June 9,
2013, from http://www.sciencekids.co.nz/sciencefacts/food/fastfood.html
Magee
,E. (2013). Junk food facts.
Retrieved June 9, 2013, from http://www.webmd.com/diet/features/junk-food-facts
World
Health Organisation (2012). Global Status
Report on Non Communicable Diseases. Retrieved June 12, 2013 from http://www.who.com/global+status+report+on+non+communicable+diseases/pdf
Wale’s
top doctor proposes fast food ban near schools,
(2013). Retrieved June 9, 2013, from http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-21121829
Kelola, T(
2009). Majority oppose bid to ban lamb
flaps. Retrieved June 10, 2013, from http://www.postcourier.com.pg/20110413/news09.htm
Government of
Papua New Guinea, (2010) National Health
Plan, 2011-2020 Vol1., Policies and Strategies. Port Moresby: Government
Printing.
Vincent,
S. (2013).Lifestyle Diseases rapidly
increasing in PNG. Retrieved June 10, 2013, from http://www.emtv.com.pg/news-app/item/lifestyle-diseases-rapidly-increasing-in-png
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