EDITORIAL: Drink and eat responsibly

It is a well-known fact that some Barbadians are eating too many of the wrong foods, in very large quantities, which is contributing to the rise in chronic non-communicable diseases (CNCDs).

 

Whilst we cannot admonish Barbadians to stay away from slices of ham, great cake, pudding and other treats that they are accustomed to at Christmas time, we can caution them to eat responsibly this Holiday season. 

 

Barbadians must not overdo it in any area. If you know you are prone to putting on weight, then just eat what you can, in small portions. If you know you cannot handle the heavy drinks, then please, don’t go liming with the boys, consuming drink after drink. If you know you have a sweet tooth, or a salty one for that matter and your consumption of sweet treats or savoury snacks will cause problems, as you are afflicted by diabetes or hypertension, then please, do not tempt yourself by keeping excess of either of these foods in the house. It is all about controlling the appetite.

 

 Now reports are that chronic non-communicable diseases now account for 80 per cent of total deaths in Barbados. Additionally, it is said that one-quarter of adult Barbadians have a chronic non-communicable disease and this statistic is expected to rise to one-third, by 2030. It is said that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of illness and death in Barbados and this has been consistently so for the last fifteen to twenty years. The Barbados National Registry (BNR) for Chronic Non-communicable Diseases (CNCDs) is currently the platform from which information on the incidence of cardiovascular disease is documented and analysed and so, there is no need to argue with the information put out in the public domain. What we all need to do is to take the information and make it useful to us. Make a determination not to add to the negative statistics.

 

Now again, nobody wants to hear about eating responsibly at Christmas. Everyone wants to let loose on their food. However, given the current health profile of Barbadians, emphasis must always be placed on the promotion of healthy lifestyles, rather than the treatment of disease, with a view to decreasing risk factors for chronic diseases. This must be the case, whether it is Christmas time or not.

 

The local Health Ministry has been doing its part to get the right messages out and as such, has embarked on a number of promotional efforts, which strive to send the message that better nutrition and frequent physical activity is key, in reducing the likelihood of falling ill with a chronic non-communicable disease. We all know however, that such messages tend to fall on deaf ears at times, as Barbadians continue to enjoy fast foods, engage in tobacco consumption and consume plenty of alcohol. With the Christmas season now at a climax, most people will be throwing caution to the wind. For those who already have a chronic disease such as heart disease, stroke, cancer, diabetes and even chronic respiratory disease, you must be ever conscious of the fact that high blood pressure, obesity, high blood sugar and high blood cholesterol levels, are not gifts you would want for Christmas or even after Christmas. So please, do everything in moderation. Eat and drink responsibly this Christmas.