Caribbean States top charts for obese population

Mar 05, 2022 News

Kaieteur News – The World Obesity Foundation yesterday released a report which concluded that the Caribbean has topped the charts for people living with obesity.
The report was released on the occasion of World Obesity Day, 2022.
According to the document, six out of 10 of the countries in the Americas with the highest estimated prevalence of obesity amongst women by 2030 are from the Caribbean, with Bermuda topping this list at 48 percent and St Vincent and the Grenadines at number ten with 42 percent.

It went on to say that six Caribbean countries also fall into the top ten list for its projection of 2030 childhood obesity rates in children between the ages of five to 19 years old.

“Six Caribbean countries fall into the top ten list when projecting 2030 child obesity rates (5-19 years), with Barbados and Jamaica at 22 percent, Bahamas at 23 percent and Bermuda at 24 percent exceeded only by the US at 25 percent,” the document stated.

Additionally, it was highlighted too that when it comes to the preparedness of countries to tackle obesity and Non-Communicable Diseases (NDCs), projections were equally bleak with six Caribbean countries, including Guyana, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Belize, Grenada and Haiti, listed among the 10 least prepared.

On the other hand, some Caribbean countries were also included on the top 10 list of the most prepared to tackle obesity and overweight. These countries include Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and Jamaica while St. Lucia and Antigua and Barbuda are projected to have some of the lowest levels of obesity in children and among adults in 2030.

This year, World Obesity Day was held under the theme ‘Everybody Needs to Act’.
To this end, nine regional partners have united to reaffirm their collective commitment to work together to prioritise action against overweight and obesity.

The Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC) has joined with The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA), The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission, The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Earth Medic/Earth Nurse, The Law and Health Research Unit of the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill, and the Rotary District 7030, Rotary International, to highlight the need for robust policies to prevent and treat the crisis of overweight and obesity facing CARICOM countries.

The report highlighted that unhealthy diets dominated by unhealthy ultra-processed foods high in sugars, fats and sodium, are among the greatest contributors to overweight and obesity and NCDs.

“The costs of an unhealthy food environment are many: from increased health costs due to diabetes, heart disease and stroke, and many cancers; stigma of people who are living with overweight and obesity; and reduced lifespans,” the document states.

It was keen to point out as well, that policies which transform food systems and create healthy food environments make it easier for Caribbean people to make the healthiest choices and are urgently needed. Such policies it said will yield the greatest returns on investment.

According to the report, Caribbean children and adults are at a disadvantage as they are born into, grow and live in environments where cheap and unhealthy foods are widely available.

To this end, global and regional agencies including CARPHA, FAO, UNICEF and WHO/PAHO have recommended food policies which have been shown to improve food systems.

These policies largely speak to making healthy foods cheaper and more available to the population.

The report noted that countries must move swiftly in their approach to addressing obesity.