Peceli Naviticoko 
Bayly Trust Trustee Dr Rufina Latu [insert] says excessive kava consumption is becoming a major risk factor for Non-Communicable Diseases
Health experts warn that excessive kava consumption is becoming a major risk factor for Non-Communicable Diseases across all age groups in Fiji.
Bayly Trust Trustee Dr Rufina Latu states while kava holds cultural and traditional significance, many Fijians consume it in ways that pose serious health concerns.
She adds that in many cases, people skip meals, replacing nutritious food with kava, junk, or fizzy drinks, leading to high blood pressure, diabetes and other health complications.
“It’s just like a routine, every weekend it’s kava, kava, kava. Kava is not that bad it has traditional values, it has cultural values, and we need to maintain those values for kava, but it’s abusive of time when we spend many hours just drinking kava. That is not good for NCDs.”
Dr Latu explains that every weekend people spend hours drinking kava, and although it has traditional and cultural values, overconsumption is harmful to health and contributes to the rise of NCD’s. She warns that unhealthy habits are causing young people to die prematurely.
She stresses that daily health check-ups, regular physical activity and balanced diets should now be a priority for Fijians.
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