DOH survey: 15% of adult Pinoys smoke, 40% drink alcohol

A survey conducted by the Department of Health (DOH) has found that 15% of adult Filipinos are tobacco smokers while 40% drink alcohol.

In a statement, the DOH said 3,087 adult Filipinos participated in its second mobile phone survey conducted in January this year, which focused on the risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCDs).

The survey revealed that 15.5% of adult Filipinos smoke tobacco, 22.6% of whom are men and 8.5% are women. Around 1 in 10 or 13.4% of adult men smoked tobacco daily, compared to 4.4% of women. Smokeless tobacco use was also higher among men.

The study also found that alcohol consumption of adult Filipinos was “high,” with 40.1% of respondents reporting that they drank alcohol within 30 days prior to the survey. Alcohol use was higher in men at 51.4% than in women at 28.9%.

One in three respondents also reported drinking six or more drinks on a single occasion. Men reported higher rates of heavy drinking occasions than women.

The survey also found that 90.1% of respondents consumed less than the recommended five servings of fruits or vegetables per day. Less than 1% said they do not consume fruits and vegetables daily.

Another 60.2% reported that they always or often add salt when cooking or preparing foods, with 39.5% always or often adding salt or salty sauces to their food before eating. About a third of respondents said they always or often eat processed food high in salt.

The DOH said 1 in 10 adult Filipinos or 14.1% of men and 11.3% of women reported receiving a clinical diagnosis of raised blood sugar or diabetes

Of this number, 49.2% were under diabetes medication. One-quarter of adult Filipinos also reported ever being told by a health professional that they were hypertensive, while 54.5% were on medication to control their hypertension.

“NCDs continue to contribute to death and disability in the Philippines, but their effects can be reversed by modification of daily behavior habits including reducing tobacco use, harmful use of alcohol, unhealthy diet, and physical inactivity,” the DOH said.

“The study affirms that NCDs and [their] risk factors affect the individual and Filipino society at large. The data presented a strong basis to further strengthen the prevention strategies being undertaken by the Department of Health,” it added. — RSJ, GMA News