Heads of government from four Caribbean countries met in New York City on Wednesday to discuss how public health policies can tackle the growing burden of overweight and obesity in the region, according to the Daily Herald.
40 to 70 percent of adults and nearly 30 percent of children in the Caribbean are overweight or obese. Nearly 11.9 percent of the population has diabetes, well above the global rate of 8.5 percent making the disease one of the region’s most pressing public health problems. The Caribbean region ranks highest in the world for the consumption of sugary beverages per day – an estimated two servings per adult.
World Health Organization (WHO) global ambassador for noncommunicable diseases and Bloomberg Philanthropies founder, Michael Bloomberg, spoke at the meeting and expressed some optimism about the fight against diabetes.
“The good news is that we know how to reduce obesity, through policies like taxes on sugary drinks, better labeling on unhealthy food, and healthier school meals. And we’re beginning to make progress,” he said.
Bloomberg has long been focused on improving public health – during his time as New York City mayor, in his work through his foundation, Bloomberg Philanthropies, and now in his role as WHO global ambassador.
Bloomberg Philanthropies’ obesity prevention program supports governments and non-government organizations to put in place policies that reduce consumer demand for unhealthy foods and beverages, improve the food environment, and make healthier choices easier for everyone.
Based on the best-available evidence, policies that could have the most impact include: raising taxes on sugary beverages and junk food; limiting children’s and adolescents’ exposure to unhealthy food and beverage marketing through comprehensive marketing bans; promoting healthy food policies for the public sector, especially schools; introducing understandable and informative front-of-package nutrition labels; and developing obesity prevention advertising campaigns.
Among the Caribbean leaders present at the high-level meeting were Gaston Browne, prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda, Allen Chastanet, prime minister of Saint Lucia, Andrew Holness, prime minister of Jamaica, and Mia Mottley, prime minister of Barbados.
“The main cause of obesity is the cholesterol-laden foods we consume and the lack of physical exercise.”(lbo).
Not completely true and accurate; nevertheless, I will not talk about cholesterol on this subject matter; because the question of whether or not the dietary intake fat has an effect on obesity might be debatable. Hence I would have to debate lipoprotein (VLDL), the pattern of HDL, LDL VDL. cholesterol levels which has not been answered
We would have to debate the effects of and role of serum triglyceride in the formation of antherosclerotic plaques. So you see we would be talking about something which has nothing to do with obesity, rather clog arteries, and cardiovascular diseases.
If you read everything I wrote in the end you will read what I said is the cause of obesity; and that is the firm medical, and scientific finding!
Expected that no representation,only need the fools during election.
Fast food and greasy hamburgers and fried greasy chicken+ pizza. Back in the old days one did not see so many obese people in Dominica because the people ate healthy. Ever since the introduction of fatty greasy food people have gotten heavier.
I don’t see Dominica represented here..To Parry Bellot obesity has negative impact on productivity Did you point that out to the Dominican Government in your secret productivity report..Also too much sewo and bon temps and booze does not help..Should the Dominican Government not get in on the ground floor with this initiative??????
No Skerrit,or a representative of Skerrit? I know at such a forum,he would be out of his depths,but he would still glean something.
Dominica has its share of obesity too,and it becomes scarry when we look at so many school children are included in this bracket…Those DLP MISLEADERS are yet to totally bann the sale of those super sweet carbonated drinks and their likes from being sold to our children at our schools,but the showman Skerrit in his typical hypocrisy this week,was asking for schools to close later this term.This is what you call fake love!!!!
I detest a hypocrite!!
Skerrit Must Go
Skerrit Must Go
LAZY Skerrit Must Go Now
‘No Skerrit,or a representative of Skerrit? ( % ‘percent’).
This is one time I will not give Roosevelt heat for not wasting the taxpayers of Dominica money to send anybody to that meeting, since obesity is simply a medical issue, caused by different contributing factors. I will address it in two phases:
Obesity is the excessive accumulation of fat in the body; increase in weight beyond that considered desirable with regard to age, height, and bone structure. Nevertheless, one need to take into account the meaning of excess body fat, since an overweight person is not obese, even though his/her body weight is in excess of the normal range as indicated on a medical weight chart.
A large body frame, and dense musculature, as in an athlete, can contribute to a person (s) weighing more than the weight indicated as optimal on a weight chart. In an effort to establish more precise guidelines medical suggest certain standards. Overweight persons weigh 10% more than their optimum…
Francisco, I often agree with your comments for you usually speak truth to power. Your courage to do this consistently despite the personal abuse directed towards you is laudable. However, you have made the topic of obesity an academic exercise. Obesity is undeniably bad especially for young people. The main cause of obesity is the cholesterol-laden foods we consume and the lack of physical exercise. It’s imperative that a caring government provides proper sporting facilities for our young adults and play areas for parents to take their children especially on weekends. Exercise is the prevention and the cure for many diseases .
Continue:
An overweight person weigh 10% more than their optimum weight; obese people weigh 15% more, whereas grossly obese persons weigh 20% or more above their optimum weight. A method by which obesity can be determined is by utilizing the pinch test. This is a measurement of subcutaneous fat reserves.
The pinch can be done in various places on the body; however, the most common site is the upper arm over the triceps muscle. A fold of skin, and subcutaneous fat is lifted free, between the thumb and forefinger, from the underlying structures. An accurate measurement can be obtained by using a pair of calipers. Since the skin fold is a double thickness, one-half the total measurement is the thickness of the layer of excess fat.
In general, a fold that measures 1/2 to 1 inch: 1/4 to 1/2 actual thickness is considered normal; whereas a fold significantly greater than one inch indicates excessive body fat. Effects Of Obesity: Being obese affect physical and mental health. Too…
Cont:
Too many extra pounds are a strain on ones body, and can even totally shorten life span. Obesity is also considered to be unattractive, and this might create psychologic problems.
The obese person is inviting a number of unnecessary complications; some of these are an overworked heart; shortness of breath, a tendency to arteriosclerosis and hypertension (high blood pressure) or hyperglycemia; that is actually diabetes mellitus; chronic back and joint pains from increased strain on joints, and ligaments; a greater tendency to contract infectious diseases, and a reduced ability to exercise, or enjoy normal activities.
Statistics show that mortality from circulatory conditions is about 45% higher in grossly obese men than in those whose weight is reasonably close to normal, and death from such conditions are apt to occur sooner. Psychologically, most obese persons are at a disadvantage; the show of good cheer sometimes associated with obese people usually mask…
The show of good cheer sometimes associated with obese people usually masks unconscious, or even conscious-unhappiness and disappointment. Obesity can cause personality problems; in turn emotional difficulties, such as those caused by persistent loneliness, tension, or sometimes boredom sometimes find an outlet via overeating compulsively.
Most causes of obesity are due to an excessive intake of calories in proportion to expenditure of calories. Cultural factors, such as abundance in some countries of purified high caloric food of low nutrient value, are among the most important contributing in the incidence of moderate overweight. In some cases obesity seems to familial, in families in which both parents are obese, the offspring’s are very likely to be overweight too!
Hence overweight children usually become overweight adults. Finally endocrine, and metabolic disturbances have been used by lots of people as an excuse for been obese; nevertheless, such causes are relatively…