The Canadian government on Tuesday inked a CDN$2.5 million agreement with the non-governmental organisation, Giving Health to Kids, to improve maternal, newborn and child health in Guyana’s hinterland after research showed some worrisome findings. President of Giving Health to Kids, Associate Clinical Professor at Mc Master University, Dr Narendra Singh said the five-year project has ...

THE HONOURABLE KAY MCCONNEY
MINISTER OF EDUCATION, TECHNOLOGICAL AND VOCATIONAL TRAINING, BARBADOS

And
SENATOR DR. THE MOST HONOURABLE JEROME WALCOTT
MINISTER OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS BARBADOS

And
DR. THE HONOURABLE SONIA BROWNE
MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF HEALTH AND WELLNESS BARBADOS

CONGRATULATIONS ON THE IMPLEMENTATION OF
BARBADOS NATIONAL SCHOOL NUTRITION POLICY

March 20th, 2023

Dear The Honourable Kay McConney, Senator Dr. The Most Honourable Jerome Walcott, and Dr. The Honourable Sonia Browne,

The Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC) extends congratulations to the Government of Barbados and the Ministries of Health and Education on the successful launch of the Barbados National School Nutrition Policy in February 2023 and the banning of the sale of beverages containing added sugars, artificial sweeteners or additives in schools beginning in the third term in April 2023. This significant policy action taken by the Government of Barbados delivers on national and regional commitments to tackle childhood overweight and obesity through a package of evidence-based policy measures including banning the sale and marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages in and around school settings. The Barbados National School Nutrition Policy, originally approved by Cabinet in May 2022, realises a commitment made by Honourable Prime Minister Mia Amor Mottley, at the 39th Summit of CARICOM Heads of Government and State in 2018 when Heads endorsed a number of priorities for the 3rd UN High Level Meeting on Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDs) including: “implementing policies geared to preventing childhood obesity, including health-promoting school environments”.

The HCC, both local and regional members, strongly support this policy measure which complements the recently increased sugar sweetened beverage (SSB) tax at 20% – as part of a wider strategy to combat the urgent health, economic and economic challenges posed by childhood and adult obesity and NCDs in Barbados.

As one of a growing number of countries regionally and globally prioritising NCD prevention through the implementation of regulations which meaningfully change food environments by reducing affordability and availability of ultra-processed foods high in sugars, salts and fats, Barbados is demonstrating tremendous leadership. The Caribbean has the highest NCD mortality rate in the Americas and 40% of these deaths occur prematurely before the age of 70 years affecting our most productive with dire socioeconomic consequences in a time when Caribbean populations are aging and placing significant strain on already vulnerable economies. Obesity is a major underlying factor which contributes to the development of NCDs, such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Two-thirds of Barbadians are either living with overweight or obesity and the corresponding figure for Barbadian children is one-third[i] placing these children on a trajectory for health complications in childhood and adolescence and increased risk of NCDs in adulthood.

Unfortunately, these figures show no sign of decline. Per the 2023 edition of the World Obesity Atlas[ii], Barbados is expected to see a 2.6% annual increase in adult obesity and a 4.7% increase in childhood obesity over the period 2020-2035. Overweight and obesity have a profound economic impact through loss of productivity, premature death and health care expenditure. By 2035, this is expected to cost Barbados US $305 million. It is imperative that bold policy action is taken immediately to reverse these alarming trends.

The 20% tax on SSBs and the National School Nutrition Policy are a step in the right direction. At least 73.3% of students aged 13-15 consume at least one carbonated soft drink per day, while 70.9% are not achieving WHO recommended levels of physical activity[iii]. As unhealthy diet and physical activity are major contributors to overweight and obesity, and related NCDs, we commend the National School Nutrition Policy for addressing both of these risk factors. Barbadians – adults and children – have a right to live, grow, work and thrive in environments which support healthy behaviours rather than encouraging unhealthy habits. Since 2016, Barbados has supported three key policy actions recommended by the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)/WHO and the HCC – 1. Taxation of unhealthy foods while subsidising healthy options; 2. Improving the food (regulating the sale and marketing of ultra-processed foods) and physical activity environments in schools to specifically tackle childhood obesity; and 3. Maintaining support for a regional standard for the labelling of prepackaged foods which includes front of package ‘high-in’ warning labels to empower consumers to identify unhealthy foods and purchase healthier unprocessed or minimally processed foods. Such policy measures, when implemented effectively, create strong regulatory environments which support positive dietary behaviours, help drive product reformulation, and encourage manufacturers and retailers to increase the availability of affordable, healthier food and beverage options. Additionally, Barbados is a signatory to the Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC), thereby underscoring the important role of government to ensure that those most vulnerable in the population – our children – are protected from continuous exposure to harmful environments that promote consumption of ultra-processed foods.

Finally, HCC commends Barbados’ continued commitment to a whole-of-government and whole-of-society NCD response. The National School Nutrition Policy is a product of the partnership between two Ministries with acknowledged ongoing strong support from civil society through the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Barbados and the Barbados Childhood Obesity Prevention Coalition.

We applaud the bold and visionary leadership of the Office of the Prime Minister, the Ministries of Health, Education and local civil society organisations and we pledge our continued support as Barbados implements its National School Nutrition Policy and related policies over the coming months and years.

The Board of Directors, staff and volunteers of the HCC, Technical Advisors and the 100+ HCC CSO Members

View/download the open letter here.

[i] https://data.worldobesity.org/country/barbados-17/report-card.pdf

[ii] https://www.worldobesityday.org/assets/downloads/World_Obesity_Atlas_2023_Report.pdf

[iii] https://cdn.who.int/media/docs/default-source/ncds/ncd-surveillance/data-reporting/barbados/gshs/2011_barbados_gshs_fs.pdf?sfvrsn=652e38c1_5&download=true

The post Congratulations on the Implementation of Barbados National School Nutrition Policy appeared first on Healthy Caribbean Coalition.

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WHY SHOULD WE CARE ABOUT YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH?

Half of all mental health disorders can be diagnosed by just age 14.

16 million adolescents aged 10-19 live with a mental disorder in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Anxiety Disorder is the second leading cause of disability among 10-14-year-olds.

READ THE CALL TO ACTION

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The post appeared first on Healthy Caribbean Coalition.

Caribbean Youth Mental Health Call to Action

WHY SHOULD WE CARE ABOUT YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH?

• Half of all mental health disorders can be diagnosed by just age 14.
• 16 million adolescents aged 10-19 live with a mental disorder in Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Anxiety Disorder is the second leading cause of disability among 10-14-year-olds.

Half of all mental health disorders can be diagnosed by just age 14.
16 million adolescents aged 10-19 live with a mental disorder in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Anxiety Disorder is the second leading cause of disability among 10-14-year-olds.

On World Mental Health Day 2022, the Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC)’s youth arm – Healthy Caribbean Youth – with support from regional youth organisations and allies, have developed the Caribbean Youth Mental Health Call to Action, under the slogan, “There is no health without mental Health”, to mobilise regional policymakers into prioritising the mental health and well-being of this key demographic. The Call to Action represents a culmination of months of collaborative effort among regional youth and youth organisations.

This effort aligns with this year’s call from the World Health Organization  to “make health and well-being for all a global priority”, by demanding urgent action from policymakers across the Caribbean to transform the region’s mental health systems and ultimately protect the mental health wellbeing of children and youth.

Read the Call to Action

You can take part too!

Join us in our commitment to prioritise, destigmatize and normalise mental health among our Caribbean children and young people.

By signing onto our Caribbean Youth Mental Health Pledge, you are vowing to work towards emphasising the Call to Action, advocating for the actions to be implemented by your policy makers and strive towards improving the mental health of our Caribbean Youth. In addition, by signing this pledge, you are affirming your personal vested interest in the Caribbean Youth Mental Health Call to Action and you are declaring that the positions, views and agreements are your own volition.

Please read the Caribbean Youth Mental Health Call to Action and Caribbean Youth Mental Health Pledge before signing the form below.

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Regional Partners’ Quotes for the Caribbean Youth MHCTA

The future of children and adolescents in Jamaica is at stake as the COVID-19 pandemic has aggravated the impact of multiple pre-existing stressors, such as violence and their mental health. Left unaddressed, this can have a lifelong and debilitating effect on each child and young person. The wider collective result will retard the development of the entire country. We must act now to ensure that a well-resourced, whole-of-government plan for improving the mental well-being of our young is implemented. Improving access to quality mental health services will not only improve the lives of children and adolescents, it will also yield a positive return on public investment and by extension grow our human capital and the economy.
United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund (UNICEF) Jamaica

Quotes From Youth Organizations Consulted for the Caribbean Youth MHCTA

Mental health, just like physical health, is a fundamental right of every human being. We can ill afford to deny young people their right to a healthy life, and continue in our current vein, an attitude and approach to mental health rooted in silence, apathy, avoidance, complacency and stigma. Not when 1 in 7 young people in the 10-19 age group are experiencing a mental illness. Not when mental disorders remain a leading cause of illness and disability in young people. And, not when suicide is the 4th leading cause of death amongst young people aged 15-24. We have to do something! We have to intervene! We have to do right by our youth. And, that means calling for and taking decisive action to prevent, detect, manage and reduce the risk factors for the mental health challenges facing Caribbean youth! That, fundamentally, is what this Call to Action is about
Mr. David Johnson, President and Founder of Let’s Unpack It (Barbados)

I am delighted to support this call to action on mental health. As a psychotherapist, I am aware of the enormous stress being experienced by young people and the consequences on their mental health. Gender-based violence, bullying, substance abuse and undiagnosed serious mental illnesses like schizophrenia and depression are all causes for concern. I look forward to hearing the passionate voices of young people as they raise awareness of these issues across the region
Mrs. Tina Alexander, Executive Director of Lifeline Ministries (Dominica)

We have come to live in a world that is much different from what our parents and grandparents knew. With growing social and economic inequalities, violence, conflicts, pandemics and for youth,social and digital media have become an inescapable part of our lives; mental health is bound to be at risk. I urge you to digitally detox, take a break and recharge, reset! We all have minds that need to be cared for, some Tropical remedy is more sunlight, more candor, and more unashamed
Conversation
Ms. Ashma McDougall, President of the National Youth Council of Dominica

Supporting Activities

Working With the First Ladies

Her Excellency Mrs. Ann Marie Davis, the First Lady of The BahamasPhoto: The Tribune

We are pleased to share that Her Excellency Mrs. Ann Marie Davis, the First Lady of The Bahamas, has pledged her commitment to protecting the mental health of children and young people in the Caribbean. Thank you First Lady Davis!

Her Excellency Mrs. Rossana Briceño, the First Lady of BelizePhoto: BBN

On October 21st 2022, Sahar Vasquez, HCY Member in Belize and Co-founder of Mind Health Connect Belize, met with the First Lady of Belize, Her Excellence Rossana Briceno to discuss the Mental Health Call to Action. Thank you to the First Lady for showing her commitment to mental health!

HCY in Bahamas Meet With Policymakers To Discuss the Call to Action

Pictured left to right : Vernon Davis, Gabrielle Edwards, First Lady Davis, Dr. Forbes, Wellecia Munnings

On October 4th 2022, Gabrielle Edwards, 5th year Medical Student and Healthy Caribbean Youth member met with Mrs Ann Marie Davis, First Lady of The Bahamas to discuss the Mental Health Call to Action. She was joined by 4th year medical students,  Vernon Davis & Wellecia Munnings and senior psychiatric resident, Dr. Petra Forbes.

Social Media Graphics

Healthy Caribbean Youth Host a Series of Instagram Lives To Promote the Call to Action

As part of pre-launch activities, Healthy Caribbean Youth (HCY) hosted two Instagram Lives on the Healthy Caribbean Coalition’s Instagram page, on the Saturday 1st and 8th October, 2022. During Day 1, youth mental health advocate, Trey Cumberbatch and Co-directors of Dance4Life Barbados, Shakira Emtage-Cave and Leila Raphael, gave their insight into the mental health of children and young people in the Caribbean and the ongoing impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental well-being of these groups. HCY member, Stephanie Whiteman (session moderator), provided an overview of the Caribbean Youth Mental Health Call to Action (CYMHCTA) and set the scene leading into day 2’s session, where we dive into the significance and potential impact of the calls within the Caribbean context.

During Day 2, HCY member, Simone Bishop-Matthews (session moderator), provided a recap of the four overarching calls. Counselling Psychologist and HCY member, Alaina Gomes, President and Founder of Let’s Unpack It, David Johnson and Youth Technical Advisor at the Healthy Caribbean Coalition and HCY member, Pierre Cooke Jr., gave their take on the potential impact on communities and the Caribbean region if this CYMHCTA is implemented, from a mental health professional’s and a youth mental health organization’s perspective.

Re-watch Day 1 (click/tap to play)
Re-watch Day 2 (click/tap to play)

The post Caribbean Youth Mental Health Call to Action appeared first on Healthy Caribbean Coalition.

The smiles and screams at Tokyo Disneyland may be more obvious on Monday as the amusement park and much of Japan relaxes face mask norms that have defined the 3-year COVID-19 pandemic. Reuters Health Information

HCC is partnering with the Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU) for this year’s Caribbean Media Awards competition.

The August 15, 2023 CBU Caribbean Media Awards Gala event, to be transmitted live from Antigua and Barbuda, for the first time will include an award for print journalism under the theme: Healthy Nutrition Food Policy. The prize will include a trophy as well as a USD 500 bursary for the Award winner to produce additional material under the theme.

The eligible entries for the HCC-supported Award will explore healthy food policies including regulating school food environments, particularly through the restriction or ban on the sale and marketing of ultra-processed foods in schools (including sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs))s; fiscal policies to make healthy foods more affordable while deterring consumption of unhealthy ultra-processed foods through taxation such as the introduction of or increase in SSB taxes of at least 20%; and strengthening food labelling through the adoption of a regional front of pack black octagonal High-In labeling standard using the PAHO nutrient profile model.

This category is open to all print media, whether or not they are CBU members, operating from: Anguilla; Antigua and Barbuda; the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, the British Virgin Islands; the Commonwealth of Dominica; Grenada; Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat; St. Kitts & Nevis; St. Lucia; St. Vincent & the Grenadines; Trinidad and Tobago; and the Turks & Caicos Islands.

Entries must have been published between January 1 and December 31, of 2022 and can be submitted through to April 12, 2023.

In welcoming this new partnership with the CBU, the HCC Executive Director, Ms Maisha Hutton said she, “looks forward to continued collaboration as we increase media engagement, and build regional support for healthy nutrition food policy, while celebrating the best of content created by media across the Caribbean.”

The post HCC Joins the Caribbean Broadcasting Union as a Theme Sponsor for the 2022 Caribbean Media Awards appeared first on Healthy Caribbean Coalition.

On Thursday March 2, 2023 the Healthy Caribbean Coalition hosted, “Childhood Obesity in the Caribbean – How do we care for the 1 in 3?” – a webinar aimed to create a space for persons with lived experience, advocates and practitioners to discuss childhood obesity treatment and management in the Caribbean.

The conversation centered around the need to embrace and protect a child’s right to health which should be extended to quality healthcare services and support.

The panelists provided their unique perspectives on how we can actualize caring for the 1 in 3 Caribbean children who are living with overweight or obesity.

Professor Alafia Samuels
Chair of NCD Child and member of the Board of Trustees of the World Obesity Federation

Professor Anne St. John
Pediatrician and Medical Director for Youth Health Heart with the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Barbados

Ms. Michelle Sutton
Health and Wellness Coordinator, Ministry of Education, SKN

• Mr. Komo Phillips, Parent
• Mr. Kareem Smith, person with lived experience

Moderated by:

Alaina Gomes
HCY and Counselling Psychologist, Antigua

Pierre Cooke Jr.
HCC Technical Youth Advisor

Danielle Walwyn
HCC Advocacy Officer and Coordinator of Healthy Caribbean Youth

The conversation started with centering on the lived experience with perspectives by Jomo Phillips and Kareem Smith – both of them sharing their thoughts on how obesity is viewed in the Caribbean. Kareem shared,

How is obesity viewed in the Caribbean? – a simple answer is “not very good” and from my perspective from a young age, that is because there are a multiplicity of very politically incorrect – sometimes insulting words – and ways that are used to describe children who are overweight and in some circumstances where there are very few real pathways for parents and children to actually address that problem

He also shared that children are exposed to a “tremendous amount of dialogue about their weight” which is not constructive or helpful from friends, family and even physicians. Danielle echoed this sentiment from her own personal experiences with being overweight as a child.

Further Kareem noted that when he was growing up, he didn’t feel as if childhood obesity efforts were prioritized by policymakers which he noted is shifting but emphasized that there needs to be more monitoring and enforcement of recommended policies.

Support for children living with obesity must span sectors of society. Mr. Phillips, emphasized the tremendous support that the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Barbados’ Yute gym has provided for his family and his daughter who lived with obesity. Mr. Phillips noted that the gym provides a variety of different activities that include physical activity, healthy eating and preparing healthy meals. One of the things that he says keeps his daughter going is the ability to bond and engage with other young “people who look like her and have similar struggles but also have fun and enjoy the program as well.”

In transitioning the conversation to the management of childhood obesity, Danielle asked audience members what they thought was critical to properly manage children living with obesity. They said:

In focusing on management, Professor St John highlighted the new American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines for the evaluation and treatment of children and adolescents with obesity.

In referencing the guidelines, she noted,

Those guidelines are not too soon in coming. Over the years in pediatrics, we have really struggled to facilitate parents becoming sensitized , as Kareem mentioned in his experience. We find that doctors [and] healthcare providers are not sensitized that overweight and obesity is an issue, healthwise. A child will visit the office with a cold or cough complaint and the child is overweight. The overweight is not mentioned by the physician, just the acute illness. If you don’t identify something as an issue you don’t try to manage it. The American guidelines of about 90 pages – is quite comprehensive – in essence there is not a lot of new information there. The guidelines place emphasis on the need to examine the child, and the need to identify specific issues, risk factors, genetic factors, and other factors, which play a role in the conditions of obesity and overweight, and then there is a need to treat the obesity and overweight as soon as the diagnosis is made and not to wait until the child is a teenager

Upon reflection of the guidelines and management of obesity, panelists shared a number of sentiments:

Professor Alafia was disappointed that clinical guidelines were being released before prevention guidelines. She emphasized the need to continue with our ongoing childhood obesity prevention efforts including advocating for policies that protect food environments – like regulating the sale and marketing of unhealthy food and beverages to children. It is important to note that these prevention efforts are also critical in the management of childhood obesity.

Mr. Kareem Smith, also agreed that prevention is better than cure and “instilling good habits early in children’s lives” is important. He also noted that technical expertise is critical in guiding children who do live with obesity as the lack of guidance can lead to persons managing their weights in unsustainable or unhealthy ways.

Ms. Sutton spoke about the need to shape school environments and particularly the importance of the school curriculum. She noted that Saint Kitts and Nevis rebranded Physical and Health Education and Health and Family Life Education curricula – expanding them to focus more on the holistic health of a child. She said that these changes are in an effort to move “beyond telling people to do something – it is about empowering them and teaching them the skills sets to be healthy for life”

Mr. Phillips ended the panel by zoning in on the importance of the healthcare system in managing childhood obesity. He said that he has appreciated the passion, concern and care that his daughter’s pediatricians have provided along the journey. However, in general, there needs to be a heightened awareness and sensitivity of the challenges that these children and their families experience. Secondly there is a need for increased resources to support these persons – many more people need similar programs that the Heart and Stroke Foundation Yute Gym provides.

The webinar ended with panelists sharing their wish for childhood obesity prevention and management in the Caribbean.

Ban the marketing of unhealthy products to children because every hundred dollars they spend creates 200 dollars extra in consumption which would not have happened but for the marketing. They need to stop promoting toxic environments to our children.
Professor Alafia Samuels

My wish for the stigma associated with persons to be considered overweight and obese to be removed and for us to focus more on helping and assisting as opposed to labeling.
Ms. Alaina Gomes

My wish, in addition to supporting Prof Samuels, is to have throughout the Caribbean formulation and implementation of schools nutrition policies to encompass students from the age of 4 up to the age of 17 when they leave the school [given] that that is the environment where they spend most of their time. School nutrition policies for all schools throughout the Caribbean.
Professor Anne St. John

My wish is for the parents to understand that they are there to support their children in developing healthy habits – so stop sending the salty, sugary snacks to school and start cutting up some fresh fruits and vegetables that we can send to school for healthy snacking and healthy eating.
Ms. Michelle Sutton

That the rights of children are respected and protected in all of our obesity prevention and management efforts.
Mr. Pierre Cooke Jr.

We need to have our children treated with care and when necessary institutionalizing weight stigma and bias protocols within their spaces so that their health and wellbeing is protected. Our children deserve so much better and I think we can all agree that they deserve the best.
Danielle Walwyn

At the highest levels of Caricom – is the political prioritization of addressing obesity and not just language around it but actual action – to implement a package of policies… We need a comprehensive suite of policies recommended by PAHO, WHO, CARPHA and the HCC. So, my wish is that those policies are implemented because we know that it works and we’ve seen it in other countries and we have more to lose than many other places in the world.
Maisha Hutton

The HCC looks forward to continuing to facilitate conversations like these that center around children and their ultimate right to health.

The post World Obesity Day 2023 Webinar: Childhood Obesity in the Caribbean – How do we care for the 1 in 3? appeared first on Healthy Caribbean Coalition.

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