Labeling and school environments. On July 6th, the 39th Summit of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), which brings together public officials from 15 Caribbean countries, concluded in Jamaica. The international organization agreed on a series of priorities to combat noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Among them, the elaboration of a childhood obesity prevention policy that reaches school environments stands out. Participants also expressed the intention to develop a food labeling scheme, although they have not yet defined which one will be implemented. CARICOM will promote these priorities at the High Level Meeting on NCDs, which will take place September 27th, in New York.

In the event, which took place in Montego Bay, Jamaica, from July 4th to July 6th, the leaders of all the Caribbean countries (Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica; Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Montserrat, and Trinidad and Tobago) agreed on a long-term work agenda to strengthen funding and cooperation among nations to fight chronic diseases.

In this context, CARICOM understands that combating obesity and malnutrition is a disbursement of funds that is capitalized by avoiding medical care expenses, labor costs and loss of competitiveness associated with chronic diseases. In order to have more precise information regarding progress in the matter, the different countries will develop diagnostic tools to control progress in nutrition and non-communicable diseases.

Next steps

The regulations for the care of school environments and the front labeling of food encouraged by CARICOM could be promoted in the Caribbean States based on the results of the High Level Meeting, which will take place on September 27th, 2018 in New York , U.S.