Healthfest for healthier lifestyles

By Anuradha KODAGODA

The Healthfest program, scheduled to be held next monthwould be a novel experience for the general public which is all about changing the mindset of those desiring healthier lifestyles.

It is a well-known fact that the existing lifestyles that we are used to never allows us a minute to think about our own health and well-being. With that excuse today non communicable diseases are quite common in society and it is hard to find a person who doesn't have any of the non communicable diseases in their mid age.

So far Sri Lanka was able to overcome several public health challenges such as reducing maternal mortality, infant mortality, vitamin A deficiency, iodine deficiency, and reduction of mortality due to diarrhoea, malaria, leprosy and filariasis.

However, today Sri Lanka is faced with a different health challenge. It is the increasing burden of non communicable diseases, such as heart diseases, stroke, hypertension, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases such as asthma, mental disorders and cancer.

While some of the burden can be attributed to an ageing population as Sri Lanka is acclaimed to have the fastest ageing population in South East Asia, much of the burden is attributed to modifiable risk factors.

Furthermore, it is said that 80% of deaths are attributed to such non communicable diseases. In a study conducted in 2006 where the prevalence of risk factors were assessed, hypertension was found to be 20-25% . (Wijewardana et al 2005, risk factor study 2006).

A study conducted in 2006 by Katulanda found the prevalence of diabetes over the age of 20 to be 10% (Katulanda et al 2006)

Considering this vulnerable situation that Sri Lanka is currently challenged with, we cannot be complacent any more.

As per the understanding of this vital matter Dr. Susie Perera stressed that awareness and attitudinal change among the general public is vital and that a person who intends to change his/ her behaviour needs to have healthy options and a healthy environment to make the change effective. Considering the challenges, the College of Community Physicians of Sri Lanka (CCPSL) together with the Nutrition Unit of the Presidential Secretariat is organising the Healthfest program to empower different individuals/ target groups to know their healthy lifestyle targets to make appropriate decisions that help them reach the goals.

"It is also about changing the supply, that is, services/ industries can provide healthier options. For example, the catering industry can sell healthier snacks or supermarkets can be more healthy lifestyle conscious in announcing their healthy food range with health promoting messages," said the President of CCPSL, Dr. Susie Perera.

Dr. Susie said, "Through a range of activities aimed at the youth, housewives, preschoolers, the corporate sector and the general public we aim to gradually influence society to adopt health targets.

By knowing what these targets are they will be able to make wise decisions whenever possible.

The College of Community Physicians wish to promote a few targets for healthy lifestyles, such as, to maintain Body Mass Index(BMI) between 18.5- 23, ensure that your blood pressure does not exceed 140/90, stop smoking and taking alcohol, engage in at least 30 minutes of physical activity for 5 days of the week, reduce excessive consumption of salt and this should not be more than 1 tsp of iodized salt per person per day and other activities which they hope to announce at the upcoming Healthfest program.

The CCPSL believes that the awareness and regular reminder on these targets to the public is important to create societal consciousness that will have an effect on changing individual behaviours. It is a social marketing approach that will require a multi agency effort.

Healthfest which is a conglomerated mega event comprising several activities for the general public aiming at different target groups will be held at the Viharamahadevi Park on November 17.

"Being the foremost public health body in Sri Lanka, we believe it is our ultimate responsibility to educate and create awareness among people to prevent non communicable diseases which are spreading as a virus today.

The CCPSL is strengthened by more than 350 public health professionals and our aim is prevention and promotion which the government institutions cannot do alone. Therefore being health advocates we have access to the corporate sector, youth organisations and many other sectors without influence by any bureaucratic procedures," Dr. Susie said. Healthfest is creating a wave of demand for healthier lifestyles in the country.

Our main target is to get the corporate sector involvement not only as employers' responsibility to employees but to their clients too.

We believe if they could turn the approach of their CSR projects to extend it will help promote their image and they would be benefited. Most private sector institutes offer medical coverage for various sicknesses, but these coverages are not provided at the precaution level where they do not encourage health tests.

We propose to change this attitude and to promote private sector employers to take care of their employees even at the precautionary level," she added.