‘Community effort’ hailed as the way to effectively combat local health issues

Health Minister Carvin Malone has said he believes that through community togetherness, the British Virgin Islands can succeed in tackling many of the health-related issues faced in the territory today.

Minister Malone met with members of the BVI Diabetes Association recently, and in addressing them, urged community members to motivate each other in pursuing a healthier lifestyle.

“Together we can encourage each other to take care of our health by incorporating simple life changes such as group walks, trying new healthy recipes, friendly and motivational weight loss competitions, or simply drinking more water and choosing to consume less sugary meals,” he said.

The Health Minister further alluded to proven research which shows that group motivation is effective in achieving a healthier lifestyle.

“Statistics show that individuals who become part of a group or lean on others for support during a weight loss journey, normally tend to lose more weight than persons who attend to embark on the ride by themselves … the secret to this is accountability to your group members,” he added.

In an effort to promote a healthier BVI, government has partnered with American organisation, Lifestyle Medicine Institute, which will see the introduction of an initiative entitled ‘Complete Health Improvement Program’ also known as CHIP.

The programme is geared towards educating residents to practice healthy lifestyles.

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