Accra, Ghana - KASI insight, an award-winning research and advisory firm that provides reliable data and actionable insights from Africa, today announced the launch of the FiT Score, Africa's first health and wellness index. According to the World Health Organization, noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) will kill more than 40 million people per year by 2020 with an increasing proportion of the deaths in Africa. NCDs are the result of a combination of genetic, physiological, environmental and behavioral factors. The main types of NCDs are cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory disease, and diabetes. Modifiable lifestyle behaviours, such as tobacco use, physical inactivity, unhealthy diet and the harmful use of alcohol, all increase the risk of NCDs.
“With the rise of middle class and increased urbanization, Africa will face new health challenges especially around noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) such as cancer, diabetes, chronic respiratory diseases and high blood pressure. The WHO estimated that 4 million people will die from NCDs related diseases in Africa by 2020. The FiT score provides data and intelligence regarding lifestyle behaviors and the prevalence of risk factors for NCDs.” said Rhonda Boateng, Health researcher and co-lead health advisory group at KASI Insight.
“The KASI Insight Health and Wellness index (FiT Score) results for Ghana reflect exactly what we see on the ground. The report highlights the need for more awareness about NCDs and its risk factors in Ghana. It can also help assess results of our interventions. I will definitely subscribe to the index,” said Dr Kwabena Achamfour Ababio from Ghana.
Prepared and released every semester, the FiT Score covers each country's results. Detailed country analysis and data will be available upon request.
As a leading provider of consumer insights and related data products for emerging markets especially Africa, KASI Insight is dedicated to the ongoing development of insights into the health of Africans, and how the right lifestyle choices can prevent or reduce the severity and the impact of illness and disease. The FiT score provides supplementary evidence to help inform public health policy.
The first KASI Health Wellness index is based on findings of a KASI Insight survey conducted between February 17th and 27th, 2017. A sample of 3,500 urban dwellers in Africa from 18 to 65 years of age. After data cleaning and validation, the final sample was 3,369.
Summary of the key findings
Amongst the 7 (Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Tanzania and Cameroon) countries, Ghana ranks first with a score of 64 and Cameroon ranks last with a score of 46.
36 percent of urban dwellers rank their health as excellent while 13 percent expect their health to get worse
36 percent of urban dwellers smoke at least a cigarette per day with 5 percent smoking 30 or more cigarette per day
51 percent of urban dwellers drink alcohol regularly (weekly) with 7 percent drinking 4 or more times a week
97 percent of urban dwellers eat fruits but only 21 percent eat the recommended number of servings per day (3 servings per day)
96 percent of urban dwellers eat vegetables but only 22 percent eat the recommended number of servings per day (3 servings per day)
83 percent of urban dwellers perform moderate physical activities and 51 percent perform the recommended level of moderate activities (3 times a week)
77 percent of urban dwellers had visited the doctor over the past year and only 12 percent within the last month
70 percent of urban dwellers had medical tests recommended during their last visit to the doctor’s office
To view the Ghana report – click here.
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About KASI Insights Health Advisory
The health advisory group provides research, insights and consulting in the healthcare and wellness sectors in Africa. The initial focus of the advisory team is noncommunicable diseases (NCDs).
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Contact Us
To receive reports for the other countries or if you have any comments, questions or remarks regarding the FiT Score, please contact us:
Attention to: Rhonda Boateng & Margaret Ancobiah (KASI Health Advisory)
Email: health@kasiinsight.com