Obesity: A Caribbean problem

Dana Malcolm

Staff Writer 

March 9, 2024 – Obesity Levels in CARICOM countries are the highest compared to the rest of the world and the prevalence of obesity in Caribbean children is two to three times higher than the World according to a 2021 report shared by the Caribbean Public Health Agency CARPHA on March 4, World Obesity Day that year.

Now three years later the international awareness day is again being observed and the Turks and Caicos is still particularly concerned about overweight and obesity in children.

“Childhood obesity and poor dietary intake among children are emerging as significant concerns in the region. Weight discrimination and stigma further compound these issues,” the TCI Ministry of Health and Human Services said in a press release.

They’re not the only country that should be concerned. In fact the entire region should be on high alert as CARPHA describes our obesity levels in children as alarmingly high.

“Alarmingly, overweight and obesity prevalence levels in children aged 5-9 years in CARICOM countries are increasing, and highest in The Bahamas at 39.5 percent and lowest in Saint Lucia at 26.1 percent,” the health agency said, describing it as an epidemic.

The Ministry of Health and Human Services has its own ideas as to what’s driving up the numbers.

“As the Turks and Caicos Islands and other Caribbean nations continue to modernize, there’s a noticeable shift away from traditional diets based on plants, whole grains, beans, and fish. Instead, diets increasingly consist of processed sugars, fats, and high levels of salt. Moreover, there’s a concerning trend towards sedentary lifestyles,” it explained.

With childhood obesity comes a host of other issues, both medical and financial as the two often go hand in hand, obesity can be a precursor to dangerous diseases like diabetes and hypertension.

CARPHA also explained another potential factor.

“The future seen through the risk factor lens for Non Communicable Diseases (NCDs) looks dismal, as these young persons will be the future working generation but living with higher rates of NCDs,” it said

Exercising and healthy diets are proven ways to beat obesity and its side effects, but the health agency says stigma, and the obesogenic environment (high costs for healthy food, lack of exercise programs and more) can be roadblocks.

Acknowledging this, the local government says actions are needed across society to promote healthy lifestyles from schools introducing healthy lunches to communities taking part in programs like Let’s Move TCI and workplaces implementing wellness programs.