Doctor Krupali Tappoo.

General Practitioner Doctor Krupali Tappoo says health professionals needs to be mindful while dealing with patients with non-communicable disease.

She says negative feedback by health officials could have a negative impact on the mindset of the patient.

Doctor Tappoo says they need to take a positive approach in addressing behavioural and lifestyle change.

“There’s no point in telling a person, ‘Oh, you’re overweight and you need to lose weight, and sort of giving very negative, you know, condescending remarks, but taking it very positively and really giving health back to the patient and the person because the change really comes from within the person.”

Doctor Tappoo also highlights that the word “diet” is also misunderstood by certain people.

“I think the word diet sometimes has a really negative spin. People feel that they should not be eating anything but, you know, some vegetables and fruits and nothing else but it’s about embracing, it’s about lifestyle changes.”

She says people need to take their health seriously and continue to consume a healthy diet and have their health checked when needed.