EDITORIAL
The challenge associated with children’s overweight and obesity has meant that doctors, parents and youth are faced with an increasing array of diseases afflicting children than ever before. One country, Jamaica, has recently announced that from January 2019 it will reduce sweet drinks sold in schools. Minister of Health in that country, Dr. Christopher Tufton, also spoke of overhauling school menus to lessen foods high in saturated fats, cholesterol, salt and sugar and to boost the intake of vegetables and fruits.
Obesity, overweight and resulting diseases from those conditions are a worldwide issue as a result of modern lifestyles that emphasise sedentary work and pastimes. In many cases, medical advocates can rattle off data to show the high incidences of the problem. Indeed, in his presentation on the subject, Dr. Tufton quoted that obesity has increased by 68 per cent in adolescents between 13 and 15, and was twice the amount for boys over a seven-year period. In Barbados, over 30 per cent of our children are considered overweight and obese.
Having all the statistics in the world, however, still doesn’t solve the problem It is commonly understood that real change must start from children’s formative years. However, this challenge must be approached holistically for any positive success to be realised and all stakeholders must be brought onboard. The operators of school canteens, and vendors, for instance, must have buy-in so they stock up on healthier food and snack selections, instead of sweet and salty options.
It is clear, then, that creative solutions have to be found and implemented if we are to see any real progress. We have long held the belief that children would be more predisposed to eating food that they have planted, reared and seen through to maturity. Isn’t it possible that initiatives like the 4H movement could be in place in all schools so that greenhouses of vegetables, ground provisions and fruits are created which can be tended to by all age groups of the school? In that manner, children learn from hands-on, practical experience and theoretical training the vitamins and nutrients contained in foods and what benefits they provide to the body. Plus, they learn practical agricultural skills that could inculcate the habit of buying or growing local produce and/or create an entrepreneurial spirit.
Furthermore, instituting food and nutrition from the primary level – and teaching children how to make healthy foods or healthier alternatives to local delicacies – is another avenue through we can beat the rise of obesity and overweight. We have foods that are not only naturally gluten free, but can be ground to produce flour with which meals can be made that are palatable to even the pickiest eater. Pizza, with healthy vegetable and meat toppings, can be made with cassava, breadfruit etc. flour, for example. In the past, some summer camps have offered such nutritional classes, but have been abbreviated versions that may have been too short to make a lifelong impact.
These are just two suggestions that may – in addition to other aforementioned methods – help to curb what is an epidemic around the region and the world. If we don’t think outside the box, and put things in place that can reap rewards in years to come, we won’t be able to curb the trend that could affect the lives of our nation’s youth now and in the future.
It’s time for action; the time for talking is long past gone.