EDITORIAL
Given the rise in non-communicable diseases in Barbados, there needs to be a greater push towards healthy eating and living. Perhaps the time has come to ensure as well, that fast food restaurants and food shops on the island have healthier meal options on their menus.
The saying goes, “you are what you eat” and if indeed this is true, a number of Barbadians may not be too happy to identify with what they have on their plates. Children usually copy adults and if the adults are leading by example, eating fried chicken and chips, burgers, pudding and souse, pork chops, hot-dogs and macaroni pie and drinking sodas laden with sugar, then the taste buds of the children will call for these things as well.
There are numerous fast food restaurants on this island and while some have tried to offer a few healthy dishes here and there, on the whole, there is no real push to ensure those who patronise these establishments, are getting nutritionally balanced meals. Whilst some may argue that customers are responsible for their food choices and eating habits, we need to realise that in the fast pace environment in which we now operate, sometimes customers will just grab what is nearby, in an effort to meet deadlines and to beat the rush at lunchtime. So while customers are ultimately responsible for what they ingest, the onus also falls on those in the food business, to look out for the well-being of their patrons and not just be in business for the almighty dollar.
Now let us give Jack his jacket. We acknowledge that the Ministry of Health has been placing greater emphasis on health promotion. One of the many initiatives aimed at reducing the incidence of chronic non-communicable diseases, has been the introduction of a ten per cent tax on all sugar sweetened beverages. The Ministry has also tried to engage manufacturers and distributors of food and beverages, in an effort to get them to include healthy options in their product offerings. However, there needs to be this big push for healthier eating at the level of the fast food restaurants and local food shops as well. Government surely can find some ways to encourage those in the fast food business to ensure that a certain portion of their offerings are actually beneficial for customers.
Truth be told, Barbadians like tasty meals. Perhaps the time has come for nutritionists to show Barbadians how to produce easy to fix, nutritious meals, that are appetising, to encourage more Barbadians to eat healthy. The time has come for the government of Barbados as well, to go a step further than the sweet beverage tax and to truly implement some measures that will enable Barbadians to purchase a real “basket of goods”, that can do the body good. The “from the farm to the table” concept needs to be pushed a bit more as well, since the younger members of the population especially, have grown so accustomed to eating and drinking out of boxes, cans and containers.
We really need to stop paying lip service to this whole issue of eating healthy and recognise that by taking small steps to feed the body better, we can begin to see improved results, even at the societal level, when it comes to this whole issue of chronic non-communicable diseases. Couple this with some well-planned physical activity and we could truly be onto something – a healthier way of life.