SUVA, July 24 (Xinhua) -- Fiji students of the University of the South Pacific gathered Monday to celebrate the commencement of the school's health week, which promotes a healthy lifestyle among youngsters.
The Fijian Minister for Health and Medical Services Rosy Akbar encouraged students to live a healthy lifestyle and to be free from the growing Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD) that plagued Pacific Island countries.
Students were organized to check their sugar level and blood pressure and were reminded of the importance of eating the right food and exercising regularly.
Programs offered from July 24-27 included medical clinics for NCDs, food nutrition and dietary advice, mental health awareness, oral health awareness and checks, free fitness sessions as well as healthy cooking demonstrations.
Akbar said 49 percent of the students in Fiji drank alcohol before they reached the age of 14 and this was a worrying trend.
The minister applauded the University of the South Pacific for organizing the wellness program to encourage healthy living among students.
