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The National, Thursday 18th April 2013
PAPUA New Guineans have allowed imported processed foods to dominate their diets with serious consequences, especially of obesity and an increasing rate of deaths from lifestyle diseases, according to the World Health Organisation PNG office. Restaurants and food outlets have become a way of life for many people, especially those in the workforce.
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THE waist belts of an increasing number of the country’s workforce, in both the public and private sectors, are expanding without control due to bad eating habits and little or no exercise at all.
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AND what’s more interesting … many people know the harmful effects of eating too much processed food, abuse of alcohol and smoking but are still intent on living a dangerous lifestyle. This is so dangerous that it puts a burden on the health system because lifestyle diseases, also known as
non-communicable diseases (NCDs), are now are burden to health systems.
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ACCORDING to a WHO factsheet, NCDs
(cardiovascular diseases, diabetics, cancer and chronic respiratory diseases) are leading causes of death and disabilities in almost all countries. Worst affected are the low or middle income countries with cash-strapped health systems that are unable to cope with the deluge of cases. PNG is no exception.
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Very true that lifestyle diseases or NCDs can be prevented but the onus is on each individual not to catch these diseases from bad personal and
anti-social habits. Dr Sibauk Biebwith of the Health Department said Papua New Guineans must be careful of what they take into their bodies. We have let fast-food outlets dominate our lives. While adapting to this new kind of lifestyle, we have brought diseases into our lives, he said.
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A NEW review of research suggests that consuming dark chocolate or cocoa powder every day is linked to slightly lowered blood pressure. The researchers conducted their meta-analysis of 20 different trials that included 856 people. Trials lasted for different periods, from two weeks to eight weeks to even 18 weeks, and included eating anywhere from 30 to 1,080 milligrams of flavanols (found in anywhere from 3-100 grammes of chocolate) every day.
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RESEARCHERS say consuming flavanol-containing chocolate or cocoa powder was linked with, on average, a decreased blood pressure of two to three millimetres of mercury (mm Hg). Flavanols are a kind of antioxidant compound – also found in food
such as chocolate, cranberries, tea and red wine – that are largely responsible for chocolate’s heart benefits.
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BUT before you pig out: Not all chocolate products are alike – some are loaded with fat and calories, and the health benefits described in studies are limited mainly to dark chocolate and cocoa powder. So enjoy responsibly!
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