Stakeholders are giving the Barbados Schools Nutrition Policy the thumbs up, describing it as a bold step in the fight against childhood obesity.Amid concerns that one in three children in Barbados is obese or overweight, the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Barbados and the Barbados Childhood Obesity Prevention Coalition, a partnership of civil society organisations, concerned citizens and youth advocates, believe this will set the island on the right path to addressing the problem.Kevin Farmer, President of the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Barbados, one of the key civil society organisations involved in the advocacy efforts, stated, “This new policy is ground-breaking in Barbados and it paves the way for government to action the protection of our children and their future as a policy priority, as the WHO highlights six policy areas.”He noted that given that Prime Minister Mia Mottley announced the increase in tax on sugar-sweetened beverages to 20 per cent last year, this latest move will further serve to ensure that childhood obesity becomes less of an obstacle.“The new policy is the correct direction that Barbados needs at this time. This will ensure health and nutrition are embedded in our children’s school environment, rather than the exposure to the sale and marketing of sugary beverages to children,” Farmer said.
