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Blog

Category: Blog

WHOLaunchSep2021
Health Policy
September 23, 2021

WHO’s Food Policy Recommendations

On 21st September 2021, the World Health Organisation hosted a virtual pre-launch of its six policy briefs on the actions that are required in the global food system to deliver better health and nutrition for everyone. 

These briefs are part of WHO’s efforts to empower policymakers to develop effective interventions that improve the health of their nations and to tackle the growing rate of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). It is hoped that these resources, as well as a series of other resources which include guidance documents, implementation frameworks and tools to scale up action will support UN members in meeting global nutrition and NCD targets. Additionally, because of the connection between food systems and many global challenges like poverty, inequality, malnutrition and climate change, it is also hoped that these policy briefs will enable countries to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

During the virtual launch, WHO explained that their six new policy briefs focus on areas that are not new but are nevertheless important because they are known to be effective at promoting health, and the goal is to ensure that food systems are based on health, not profit and productivity.  

It was also explained that the policy briefs are based on previous work conducted by WHO and its partners. Specifically, they build on a report on sustainable food systems which highlighted the five ways in which food systems can negatively affect the public’s health. These are depicted below and highlight the need for health to be at the centre of our global food system.

Image taken from 'Food systems delivering better health: executive summary'
Image taken from 'Food systems delivering better health: executive summary'

WHO's Policy Briefs

WHO’s new policy briefs cover:

  • Public food procurement to facilitate the provision of more nutritious foods in Government settings so that public schools, hospitals and other Government-funded organisations have access to healthy meals
  • Fiscal policy to shift the public’s behaviour towards healthy diets. These types of policies include taxes on unhealthy foods and drinks and subsidising healthy options
  • Regulation of marketing of unhealthy foods and drinks to children to shift their preferences to healthy foods
  • Nutrition labelling so that consumers can easily identify products that are high in sugar, salt and unhealthy fats and allow for informed purchases
  • Food fortification to make foods more nutritious
  • Food reformulation to reduce the salt, sugar and unhealthy fat content of food and beverages, and to eliminate trans-fat.

As explained in this event, policymakers can be confident in implementing the above-mentioned policies because these are long-standing approaches that have been proven to not only be effective, but cost-effective and scalable. Additionally, they have been endorsed and monitored by WHO.

What Does this Mean for St Kitts and Nevis

As St Kitts and Nevis looks to tackle its high rate of NCDs, the WHO policy briefs provide an evidence-based approach that our policymakers can easily adopt to create a healthy environment. As part of the Ministry of Health’s NCD Action Plan, several of the WHO’s six policy areas are already embedded into their strategy and all that is left is implementation.

Currently, we know that NCDs are the biggest health challenge that St Kitts and Nevis faces so urgent action is needed to reduce the prevalence of NCDs and our high rate of NCD-related death and disability.  

We hope with this greenlight from the WHO through these new policy briefs, the Government of St Kitts and Nevis will be more likely to introduce these healthy food policies.

What Are We Doing?

On 17th September 2021,  as part of our You’re Sweet Enough campaign, we joined local and regional civil society organisations (CSOs) to write to all members of the St Kitts and Nevis Parliament to call for the introduction of evidence-based food policies to tackle the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs).

Due to the very high level of sugar in SSBs, their regular consumption has been linked to weight gain and obesity, and being overweight or obese increases a person’s risk of developing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some types of cancer.

Research has shown that 45% of adults and 26% of children in St Kitts and Nevis are obese, and this is contributing to the high rate of NCDs in the Federation. By reducing SSB consumption, we can reduce a major source of sugar in our diets, and this can lead to a reduction in NCD risk.

Specifically, our letter focused on three policy areas, all of which align with the WHO’s new policy briefs.

  • A fiscal policy to reduce the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (an SSB tax)
  • The introduction of front-of-package warning labels so that consumers can easily and quickly identify products that are high in sugar as well as salt and unhealthy fats
  • The restriction of the sale and marketing of SSBs in and around schools

Through these actions, the Government can begin to address a major risk factor for NCDs and create a healthier environment. We look forward to the Government’s response and hope that action will be taken.

By admin
NCDPanelDiscussion
Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs)You're Sweet Enough
September 10, 2021

Our Panel Discussion on NCDs

On 25th August 2021, as part of our You’re Sweet Enough week, we were delighted to host a panel discussion exploring an all-of-society approach to tackling non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and promoting healthy drinking and eating.

This event was part of a collaboration with the Ministry of Health and formed part of their seven-week SKN Moves campaign.  Now in its second year, SKN Moves falls under the Caribbean Moves program which seeks to tackle non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the region by focusing on healthy eating, physical activity, and age-appropriate health checks.

NCDs in St Kitts and Nevis

NCDs are the major public health challenge in St Kitts and Nevis Specifically, 54% of adults have at least one chronic illness, and before the pandemic, the Nevis Island Administration reported that 85% of hospital admissions were NCD-related (PAHO 2012; Ministry of Health). Additionally, 83% of deaths in St Kitts and Nevis are due to NCDs (Ministry of Health). Furthermore, the prevalence of diabetes in St Kitts and Nevis is three times higher than the world average, and our hypertension prevalence is 9% higher than the global average.

With so many people in St Kitts and Nevis being affected by NCDs, it is important for us to focus on prevention and control strategies and our You’re Sweet Enough campaign has been focusing on one NCD risk factor, sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs).  Our campaign aims to raise awareness of the harmful health effects of consuming sugar-sweetened beverages like sodas, fruit drinks, energy drinks and sports drinks, and to encourage everyone to drink water as the healthy alternative.

Due to the very high level of sugar in SSBs, their regular consumption has been linked to weight gain and obesity, and being overweight or obese increases a person’s risk of developing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some types of cancer.

Research has shown that 45% of adults and 26% of children in St Kitts and Nevis are obese, and that this is contributing to the high rate of NCDs in the Federation.

By reducing SSB consumption, we can reduce a major source of sugar in our diets and this can lead to a reduction in NCD risk and related death and disability.

Our Panel Discussion

The panel discussion we hosted on 25th August, aimed to bring together representatives from a variety of sectors to explore how we can all work together to tackle risk factors like SSB consumption. This discussion was moderated by Isalean Phillip, our Advocacy and Research Officer and panelists included:

  • Dr Marissa Carty, NCD Coordinator, St Kitts and Nevis Ministry of Health
  • Dr Al Pierre, VP of the St Kitts and Nevis Medical and Dental Association
  • Andre Huie, Director of SKN Newsline
  • Jalanie Belle, a member of the St Kitts National Youth Parliament Association
  • Pastor Philip Webbe, a member of the St Kitts Evangelical Association

We had a very informative and insightful discussion on the prevention and control of NCDs. We touched on policies like SSB taxation, making healthy foods more affordable, public education and the marketing of healthy and unhealthy foods, and more. It was great to have youth representation on the panel from the St Kitts National Youth Parliament. They voiced their concern at the high rate of childhood obesity and called for action.

We would like to thank all the panelists for taking part in this discussion and Isalean for so ably moderating this important conversation. You can watch the recording of the event below and please feel free to leave any comments or questions that you may have in the comments section below, we would love to hear from you.

 

By admin
Ultraprocessed food+drink
Health Policy
August 25, 2021

Action Needed To Reduce the Growing Rate of NCDs

St. Kitts and Nevis is facing a non-communicable disease (NCD) epidemic which has now been exacerbated by COVID-19. At the upcoming United Nations’ (UN) Food Systems Summit, taking place in September 2021, the government should strive to create lasting healthy food policies and decrease ultra-processed food production that contributes to growing rates of diet-related NCDs. In a recently published BMJ Global Health article, researchers from around the world urge international bodies to confront the change in modern food processing and call on governments to pass evidence-based healthy food policies.

 A small number of transnational corporations are responsible for the enormous volume of ultra-processed foods that are readily available to consumers worldwide. Ultra-processed foods and beverages are formulations of food substances typically containing additives and little or no whole foods. These products are notoriously cheap, yield high profit margins and are ubiquitously marketed globally, with few restrictions. In middle-income countries, including St. Kitts and Nevis, ultra-processed foods make up 15-30% of total energy intake and sales continue to grow.

There is growing evidence that these products are habit-forming or even addictive, which can encourage overconsumption and cravings for these products, further perpetuating the non-communicable diseases (NCDs) they cause. Recent peer-reviewed studies have shown that ultra-processed product consumption can increase the risk of several health conditions, including weight gain, obesity, high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes, and heart disease.

While many countries have already passed healthy food policies to address the NCD epidemic, St. Kitts and Nevis needs to act because our global food systems are failing. Implementing a package of policies including fiscal measures, marketing regulations and mandatory front-of-package warning labels can discourage the production and consumption of ultra-processed foods. At the same time, the government needs to encourage the consumption of fresh or minimally processed foods, ensuring that they are not only available, but also accessible and affordable for all people.

 Lake Health and Wellbeing along with other civil society organizations in the federation and across the Caribbean, join public health researchers and call for St. Kitts and Nevis to commit during the UN Food Systems Summit to act on passing healthy food policies that will improve public health – our nation’s health and sustainability depend on it.

By admin
Fibroids and Mental Health
FibroidsOH Services
August 2, 2021

Fibroids and Mental Health Webinar

On Saturday 31st July 2021, we were delighted to host a webinar on fibroids and mental health. This webinar was part of our Fibroids Awareness Month event series which aimed to empower women living with fibroids with information on how to manage the impact of fibroids.  

A very important issue for women living with fibroids is managing the mental and emotional impact of fibroids. Therefore, we invited Olivia Haltman, an accredited counsellor from OH Counselling Services, to help attendees identify, understand and address the many ways that fibroids can affect a woman’s emotions and mental health. 

This session also explored how women can heal and successfully navigate the challenges that living with fibroids may present.

If you missed this session, you can watch the recording below.

By admin
Fibroids and Exercise Web
Fibroids
July 28, 2021

Fibroids and Exercise Webinar

On Saturday 24th July 2021, we hosted a webinar on fibroids and exercise. This webinar was part of our Fibroids Awareness Month event series which aims to empower women living with fibroids with information on the lifestyle changes that may alleviate their symptoms and improve their overall health and wellbeing.

In this session,  we explored the power of exercise in managing fibroids symptoms. We discussed whether exercise can be beneficial in managing fibroids symptoms and we looked at some simple, low-impact exercises that women can easily try at home through fun demonstrations of barre, yoga and other exercises. 

Speakers included: 

  • Abi Begho, Founder, Lake Health and Wellbeing; 
  • Davina Baptiste, Certified Wellness Coach;
  • Jayshree Thokal,  Qualified Yoga Instructor; and
  • Michelle Sutton, Health and Wellness Specialist.

If you missed this webinar, you can watch the recording below.

 

Our next webinar will be held on Saturday 31st July 2021 at 11am AST. This webinar will focus on fibroids and mental health.

In this webinar,  Olivia Haltman, an accredited counsellor, will help women identify, understand and address the many ways that fibroids can affect a woman’s mental health. 

We’ll empower women with the tools they need to improve their emotional wellbeing and successfully navigate the challenges that living with fibroids may present – these include managing and dealing with debilitating symptoms,  fertility issues,  tensions within relationships and the challenges that having fibroids may create in work, home and social settings. 

This is a free webinar.  You can register here

By admin
ZoomCoverPicture
Fibroids
July 19, 2021

Fibroids, Diet and Hormones Webinar

July is Fibroids Awareness Month and we’re delighted to be hosting a series of webinars especially for women in St Kitts and Nevis. These events are aimed at informing and empowering women affected by fibroids by providing practical and useful guidance to enable women to take control of their health and wellbeing.

Our series includes three webinars focusing on diet, hormones, exercise and emotional wellbeing.

On 17th July, we were delighted to host a webinar on fibroids, diet and hormones. Led by Davina Baptiste,  a Certified Wellness Coach, this webinar explored the role that hormones play in the development of fibroids and how by making simple changes to their diet, women with fibroids may be able to alleviate their symptoms and thus improve their health and wellbeing.

This was a very comprehensive and informative webinar and if you missed it, you can watch the recording below. 

By admin
Conference Picture
BlogYou're Sweet Enough
July 8, 2021

We Speak at HCC’s Conference

The Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC) hosted a virtual conference on July 1, 2021. The conference was packed with interesting and informative panel presentations that aligned with the conference theme “Our Food, Our Health, Our People: Accelerating Healthy Food Policies to Tackle NCDs”. Participants learned from academics, legal experts, public health officials, health practitioners, youth advocates, and representatives from the CARICOM NCD Commission, FAO, and PAHO. Sessions covered topics around shaping our Caribbean food supply systems for healthier environments, improving food system governance by managing conflicts of interest and shaping people-centered movements for change.

Even though it was a virtual conference, participants had the opportunity to interact online and to get moving at home during scheduled health breaks that incorporated music, dance and guided breathing and mindfulness exercises, all of which were helpful activities to stay focused throughout the day.

 

During the lunch break, Abi Begho, Director at Lake Health and Wellbeing, facilitated a lunchtime conversation about the power of digital advocacy for healthier food environments, based on lessons learned from implementing the You’re Sweet Enough campaign. Digital platforms like social media are increasingly being used by various stakeholders to reach the public. As civil society organizations, we are learning to adapt and find innovative ways to amplify messages that sensitize the public and call policymakers to action as we advocate for healthier food policies and programs. From the conversation, we learned how social media can be strategically leveraged to target different audiences, we see how short video clips and animations are powerful and effective at communicating key messages, and we are encouraged to be consistent in posting and sharing content so that the scope and reach of our advocacy can be extended and amplified.

Check out the video clip below to view the Lunchtime Conversation on the Power of Digital Advocacy.

By admin
YouAreSweetEnoughImage
DietYou're Sweet Enough
July 1, 2021

Secrets of Sugar Film Screening

As part of our You’re Sweet Enough campaign we hosted a virtual screening of the documentary The Secrets of Sugar. This documentary exposes research results that reveal the shocking truth about sugar that the sugar industry has been hiding from consumers. You can watch this documentary below: 

Following the screening, our founder, Abi Begho, and our Advocacy and Research Officer, Isalean Phillip, had an engaging discussion about the issues raised in this documentary including the food and beverage industry’s role in the obesity crisis and approaches to reducing the public’s consumption of sugar.

 

By admin
YouAreSweetEnoughImage
DietUncategorizedYou're Sweet Enough
June 28, 2021

Healthy Alternatives to SSBs

We had a fun time partnering with In Ya Kitchen and the St. Kitts Health Promotion Unit to create some tasty, easy to make unsweetened beverages as part of our You’re Sweet Enough campaign.

Check out the videos below to learn how to make a Mango Mystique and a Monkey Chaser. Try them out and let us know what you think in the comments section below.

Mango Mystique

Monkey Chaser

By admin
CoverImageForYouTube
DietYou're Sweet Enough
June 18, 2021

Sweetened Beverages Webinar

On Saturday 12 June 2021, we teamed up with Black History Walks to host a webinar entitled the Dangers of Sweetened Beverages in the African Diaspora. This event was part of Black History Walks’ event series in conjunction with the UCL Sarah Parker Remond Centre.

The webinar was moderated by Abi Begho, the Founder of Lake Health and Wellbeing and speakers included:

This event provided us with the opportunity to extend our reach beyond the shores of the Caribbean Sea and connect with the Caribbean community in the UK. This connection to the Caribbean is an important one because our communities have the same health concerns. In the Caribbean, we are faced with an NCD epidemic. PAHO reports that 78% of all deaths in the Caribbean are due to NCDs and 76% of all premature deaths are caused by these diseases1. The rates of NCDs across the Caribbean are high with type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cancer and stroke being the most common NCDs. In the UK, the African diaspora community, which includes communities with connections to Africa and the Caribbean, face the same health challenges. The Black community in the UK, have higher rates of type 2 diabetes, some cancers and hypertension than their white counterparts2,3. Additionally, they are more likely to be diagnosed with these conditions at a later stage and therefore have poorer outcomes.

Some of the factors fuelling the high rates of NCDs on both sides of the Atlantic are physical inactivity, unhealthy diets, harmful use of alcohol and tobacco use. To tackle NCDs, we have to encourage behaviour change that encourages people to adopt a healthy lifestyle. Through our You’re Sweet Enough campaign we’re focusing on one aspect of the public’s lifestyle, healthy drinking.

Research has shown that the food we eat and the drinks we consume contribute to increasing our risk of developing NCDs. Specifically, sweetened beverages (SBs). These types of drinks have been linked to unhealthy weight gain and obesity, which are associated with NCDs. This is because of their very high sugar content. Hence, our campaign encourages the public to reduce their consumption of SBs and to select water instead.

This webinar was part of our drive to educate the public about the harms of SBs. We also used this opportunity to highlight the challenges that the public health community faces when implementing strategies to reduce SB consumption and examples of successful approaches. This event was very well received by participants, with there being a high level of engagement throughout the event with the chat and Q&A being very lively.

We’d like to say a big thank you to Black History Walk and the Sarah Parker Remond Centre for giving us the opportunity to raise awareness of this important issue. We would also like to thank all those who attended and last, but definitely not least, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to Francine Charles, Rachel Morrison and Isalean Phillip for their very informative presentations.

If you missed this event, you can watch the recording below.

*******

  1. NCDs in the Caribbean, PAHO (2016)
  2. Diabetes UK
  3. Schofield P. Br J Gen Pract. 2011; 61 (585): 190-196
By admin