Blood Pressure

Nutrition Projects in Fiji

“Health and Wellness Programme”

Projects Abroad’s newly established Nutrition project aims to both educate and assist the local community in living a healthier lifestyle as well as highlighting the prevalence of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCD’s) such as diabetes, respiratory problems and heart disease. Your role as a volunteer is crucial in working towards a healthier Fiji with happy and prosperous people. NCD’s have become Fiji’s biggest health threat over recent decades, and not only threatens the wellbeing of the residents but damages the economic prosperity of the country. The World Health Organisation (WHO) found that 77% of all deaths in 2010/2011 were caused by NCD’s, and on average a shocking 11 people die each day as result of these diseases.

Volunteer checking a local resident’s blood pressure.

Health Screening Breakdown – what tests the volunteers will conduct:

Waist Circumference – waist and hip measurements to determine the risk of NCD’s

Waist/abdominal circumference is a measure of abdominal fat and is important as an excess in this abdominal fat is associated with an increased risk in type 2 diabetes, hypertension and cardio vascular diseases (CVD). Hip measurements are also taken by the volunteer and used when the waist and hip measurements are divided together to calculate the individuals risk of developing NCD’s.

Blood Pressure

High blood pressure contributes to the risk of heart disease, stroke, kidney failure and premature mortality and disability and in turn can lead to the increased risk of NCD’s. Volunteers will be equipped with a digital blood pressure machine which they will use to measure the community’s blood pressure levels. Training on using this equipment will be done within the first two days of the volunteer’s arrival.