The recently launched Barbados Schools’ Nutrition Policy (BSNP) is the first component of a National Nutrition Policy which will include elements on nutrition for the elderly and other special populations as well as a policy on food service management.
Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Wellness, with responsibility for non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Dr. Sonia Browne, made this disclosure to education and health officials attending the launch of the Schools’ Nutrition Policy on Wednesday, at the Samuel Jackman Prescod Institute of Technology.
Dr. Browne said the policy would be implemented as part of a suite of public health measures to address challenges related to poor dietary and physical inactivity patterns.
“Fiscal measures, such as increased taxes on sugar sweetened beverages and tobacco; reformulation of prepackaged products which are high in salt; sugar and fat; front-of-package labelling and a proposed ban on trans fatty acids, all signal a move towards achieving health in a holistic way,” the Minister stated.
She further noted that two factors were fuelling the rates of overweight and obesity in children and adults – sedentary lifestyles and negative changes in dietary quality with the shift from traditional diets of local, less processed foods.
As it stands, 30 per cent of school children in the 13 to 15 age group, in Barbados, are either overweight or obese, while obesity levels stand at 16 per cent in children 10 years old. The Minister also disclosed that according to a 2020 Global Nutrition Report, Barbados still experiences an under-nutrition burden among its under-five population.
“Unfortunately, these patterns, when established in childhood, often progress into adulthood and this is demonstrated by our ever increasing burden of NCDs in our adult population,” Dr. Browne pointed out.
She said educational institutions were the perfect vehicles to introduce obesity prevention measures, “as they offer continuous and intensive contact with children as well as facilitate access to parents”.
However, the Minister also noted that a number of barriers existed within schools, including a lack of nutritional standards, unregulated marketing of nutrient-poor foods and beverages, and not enough nutrition and physical education integrated into the school curricula.
“The Barbados School Nutrition Policy was conceptualised to address these deficits, by providing an operational framework to guide school administrators in both public and private schools,” Dr. Browne stated.
She added: “Our Government is committed to addressing NCDs. The work on the School Nutrition Policy signals our continued commitment to protect our children, by addressing risk factors affecting them, which will ultimately blunt the attack of NCDs on our population. We will continue to engage all sectors of the society to take responsibility and to provide environments that support healthier options for our children.”
Dr. Browne said it is her hope that the BSNP is translated to the home environment and becomes a part of the everyday lifestyles of children and their parents.
Additionally, she encouraged persons to continue to advocate for healthier foods in school cafeterias and canteens as well as for vendors and fast food establishments in close proximity to schools, and insist on appropriate sponsorship for school events.
The Ministry of Education, Technological and Vocational Training will receive technical support and guidance from the Ministry of Health and Wellness’ National Nutrition Centre and Health Promotion Unit throughout the policy’s implementation process.