BY SIFISO NHLABATSI
MBABANE – Alcohol consumption and obesity are emerging as key warning signs in Eswatini’s battle against non-communicable diseases (NCDs), with new research linking both risk factors to hypertension and highlighting the need for urgent preventive action.
This emerged during a presentation by Ben Hung of the Taiwan Technical Mission, who shared findings from a study examining trends in chronic disease risk factors in Eswatini at the Taiwan-Eswatini Bilateral Seminar on Smart Healthcare and Chronic Disease Prevention on October 16, 2026.
The study found that alcohol consumption was significantly associated with hypertension, alongside older age, overweight and obesity, abdominal obesity, prolonged sedentary behaviour, raised blood glucose and high total cholesterol.
Obesity and abdominal obesity were also significantly associated with diabetes mellitus, while physical inactivity emerged as another key risk factor.
The findings paint a concerning picture. Between 2007 and 2024, obesity among adults aged 25 to 64 increased from 28.1% to 34%, while alcohol consumption rose slightly from 13.3% to 13.8%. Sedentary behaviour increased from an average of 2.6 to 3.8 hours daily.
Hung’s presentation further showed that hypertension affected 29.2% of both men and women in 2024, compared with 38.9% of men and 40% of women in 2007. Diabetes prevalence, however, increased from 4.9% to 7.6% among men and from 7.7% to 13% among women over the same period.
To reverse the trend, the study recommends promoting physical activity, effective weight management and regular health examinations, particularly among older people. Continuous monitoring of blood glucose and cholesterol is also crucial.
Hung further called for accessible community-based screening and health education, alongside investment in essential medical equipment and trained healthcare personnel.
The findings underscore the importance of coordinated national action to strengthen prevention and early detection, reducing premature deaths from chronic diseases.
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