( l - r ) Lewis-Fuller, Campbell-Forrester

Jamaicans are becoming fatter and more sluggish and it's causing health officials to worry.

So worried have officials become that they are courting local faith-based organisations to encourage more Jamaicans to practise healthy living.

"We want you to become part of the revival crusade," chief medical officer, Dr Sheila Campbell-Forrester, wooed an audience of believers at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston yesterday. "To promote a change in our behaviour, how we see our values and how we should live healthily to enjoy life more abundantly."

Health officials are concerned because the increase in weight of Jamaicans is causing the incidence of non-communicable diseases, such as diabetes and hypertension, to rise, placing severe pressure on the island's health system.

Non-communicable diseases are the leading cause of death in Jamaicans, being responsible for three in every five deaths or 60 per cent.

Most of that occurs because too many Jamai-cans consume too few fruits and vegetables and too much fatty and salty foods and practise very little exercise, the health officials say.

Little physical activity

More than 90 per cent of people eat less than three servings of vegetables or fruits per day and 90 per cent are engaged in very little physical activity during their leisure time.

Children and young adults, it seems, are especially becoming more vulnerable to lifestyle diseases because of the poor habits among this group.

Eighty-three per cent of 10- to 15-year-olds are physically inactive and 31 per cent of 15- to 19-year-olds participate in very little physical activity.

They are feasting on fatty foods and sweet beverages, the medical professionals point out. Ninety-eight per cent of those same 10- to 15-year-olds drink sodas in a regular week and more than half of 15- to 19-year-olds eat fried meat.

Economic burden

"The total economic burden (of lifestyle diseases) is in the region of $1.6 billion for diabetes and from hypertension $1.2 billion," Campbell-Forrester underscored.

Director of health promotion and protection in the Ministry of Health, Dr Eva Lewis-Fuller, said faith-based organisations play an important role in influencing the public and therefore urged them to partner with health officials to encourage people to lead more positive lifestyles.

"The pursuit of health, whether physical or mental, is closely intertwined with our spiritual being," she said.

Campbell-Forrester similarly urged the groups to promote healthy living through the Word.

"Don't let you and your constituents be left behind," Campbell-Forrester pleaded with the audience, "it wasn't raining when Noah built the ark."