Half of Bermuda's population is overweight and almost a third use prescription medication every day, according to the country's first ever Wellness Report.

Government released the report yesterday, which is based on data collected in 1999/2000. The report is intended to highlight the interaction of lifestyle choice and overall health in Bermuda's adult population.

"It has been estimated that improved control of behavioural risk factors such as tobacco use, alcohol intake, drug use, lack of exercise and poor nutrition could prevent half of all premature deaths,'' stated the report prepared by Dr. Leonard Gibbons.

In addition to measuring these health-determining lifestyle choices, the report asked people to identify their top health concerns. Concerns over AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases topped the list.

Health statistics released earlier this week show the number of AIDS cases dropping, but 58 percent of those questioned for the Wellness Report said it was their biggest health concern.

This concern does not seem to translate to sexual practice though. The report indicates that only 21 percent of adults changed their sexual behaviour in the past year based on concerns over AIDS and STDs.

And only 23 percent of adults said they always used a condom for protection while 39 percent of respondents would not answer questions about condom use.

The majority of respondents (70 percent) would not answer questions about abstinence.

Sexual activity was not the only area in which respondents were a bit hypocritical.

While half of the population is overweight and one third is obese, only 20 percent of respondents cited obesity and food-related diseases as their top concern.

Dr. Gibbons pointed out the high correlation between obesity and lack of physical activity as one third of the population does not engage in any physical activity.

Bermuda's residents are also heavy drinkers -- 77 percent report consuming more than three alcoholic drinks each time they drink and over half said they had binged (five or more drinks in one sitting) at least once in the past month.

Perhaps less expected, however, is that 30 percent of the population take prescription medication every day.

Dr. Gibbons told the Royal Gazette most of those prescription drug users were not senior citizens. "If we followed more healthy lifestyle practices we would decrease our reliance on medication,'' he said.

Island health report makes shocking reading "I don't want to suggest that some of those people don't need the medication, but many would not need it if they took more lifestyle precautions.'' Only 17 percent of the population are smokers and 38 percent of adults had quit smoking. Dr. Gibbons said he believed that percentage was less than is seen in the US, but he was still concerned that 82 percent of people were exposed to secondhand smoke once a week and 28 percent are exposed daily.

Smoking statistics should also be looked at with caution as adolescents were not included in the report, Chief Medical Officer Dr. John Cann said. "We have seen a reduction in smoking among older Bermudians -- but we're still seeing smoking in young people at higher levels than we'd like,'' he said. One in four may be experiencing stress overload, according to the report. Stress overload is highest in those that watch TV or use alcohol in order to cope, while it is lowest in those that use prayer, talking to someone or exercise as a coping mechanism. Despite it all, two thirds of us still believe our health is good to excellent. "I don't think that's contradictory, that's just the way most of us think,'' said Dr. Cann.

CHART TOP TEN HEATLH CONCERNS AIDS exual diseases (58%) Cancer (49%) Drugs lcohol abuse (43%) Diabetes (25%) Heart Diseases (22%) Obestity & food related diseases (20%) Stresss (12%) Health care cost (7%) Smoking (5%) Source: The Adult Wellness Report 1999