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Health Policy

Category: Health Policy

ReportCoverImage
Health PolicyYou're Sweet Enough
September 5, 2022

Health Policy Forum

On Thursday 28th July 2022, we hosted a Health Policy Forum for Civil Servants in St. Kitts and Nevis at the St. Kitts Marriott Resort.

The objective of this forum was to bring together civil servants from various government ministries and departments to engage them in an in-depth discussion about the multi-sectoral implications of implementing sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes, SSB sale and marketing restrictions and front-of-pack warning labels as policies to support the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). 

There were twenty participants representing ten government departments in St. Kitts and the departments represented included:

      • St. Kitts Ministry of Health
      • Nevis Health Promotion Unit
      • Nevis Mental Health Unit
      • Nevis Trade and Consumer Affairs
      • Nevis Ministry of Education
      • St. Kitts and Nevis Legal Department
      • St. Kitts Dept. of Gender Affairs
      • St. Kitts Dept. of Labour
      • St. Kitts Bureau of Standards
      • St. Kitts Drug Council

The Forum agenda was split into two parts. During part one, attendees received information from presenters about the impetus behind advocacy for health policies on NCD prevention and control. Presentations provided key information about current NCD rates and health challenges faced locally and regionally, the recommended evidence-based policies being championed by WHO/PAHO, and case study analyses and reports on the effectiveness of health taxes in similar jurisdictions. The presentation agenda went as follows (click each to view slides or listen to a clip from presentations):

For part two of the forum, attendees were divided into three breakout groups to discuss the implications of implementing each policy recommendation being considered. Each group was asked to consider the following questions:

  • How does the ___ sector play a part/consider their role in the prevention and control of NCDs in St. Kitts and Nevis?
  • What are the implications of implementing an SSB tax on each respective sector?
  • What are the sector-specific or general considerations for restricting the sale and marketing of SSBs in schools?
  • What are the sector-specific or general considerations for implementing front-of-pack warning labels (FOPWL)?

Attendees had a robust discussion on each of these questions and provided some useful insight on how each policy area might affect each government department and how each department can support the implementation of these policies.  

This was a very enjoyable and informative day and we would like to thank all our speakers (PAHO, the World Bank, the St. Kitts and Nevis Ministry of Health the Bermuda Department of Health)  who provided some excellent background information which helped set the scene for the discussion session.

For more detailed information on the points raised during the discussion session, you can download the forum report below.

By admin
SodaPicture
SSB TaxYou're Sweet Enough
June 20, 2022

Dispelling myths about SSB Taxes

While SSB taxes are found to be effective at reducing purchases and consumption of SSBs and producing better public health outcomes in the long run, different counter-arguments are made in resistance to this tax-based health policy. One common argument made by industry stakeholders against SSB taxes is that they will lead to considerable job losses among businesses that produce, distribute and sell the taxed beverages; however, these claims are unfounded.

To date, peer-reviewed SSB tax evaluation studies have estimated labour market impacts in taxing jurisdictions of the United States and these studies consistently found no net negative impacts on employment and unemployment outcomes. No evidence of net job losses or job losses in industries that produce or sell SSBs has been found (UIC, 2022). Rather, SSB taxation may influence market development by sparking the growth of a healthy drink and food industry. By increasing awareness of the harms of high-sugar diets and utilizing SSB tax revenues to subsidise local fruits and vegetables, the local fruit juice market stands to benefit from expansion and sustainability. Small businesses and street vendors who sell SSBs can make and sell local unsweetened fruit juices and healthy snacks where the demand for healthier and cheaper drink alternatives increases as a result of SSB taxation.

Conclusion

Now more than ever, civil society organisations (CSOs) across the world are advocating for effective health policies, like SSB taxation, that help to improve health outcomes and cultivate healthy environments for all. SSB taxes are demonstrably effective at reducing SSB purchases and improving obesity rates in the long term. To achieve the greatest impact in NCD prevention and control, taxation ought to be coupled with other policies that help to reduce socioeconomic inequalities in diet-related health.

Interventions such as including front-of-pack warning labels, cultivating healthy school environments through nutrition education, implementing sale restrictions on sugary foods and drinks in schools and at hospitals, and providing subsidies on locally grown healthy foods are all valuable and necessary for the most equitable impact on consumer behaviour and health outcomes. To combat the threat that NCDs pose on our people, productivity and livelihoods, government, civil society, industry, individuals and communities must work together. Together we can strengthen calls to action for local government to prioritise proper health, nutrition and wellbeing by implementing health policies that lead to better health and sustainability for all.

By admin
sugar-258113_640
SSB TaxYou're Sweet Enough
June 13, 2022

An Introduction to SSB Taxation

Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxation is a common effective policy adopted by governments to deter the purchase and consumption of SSBs. In the last decade, more than 50 countries worldwide have introduced a tax on SSBs. The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends SSB taxes as a best buy[1] option for governments, noting that “just as taxing tobacco helped to reduce tobacco use, taxing sugary drinks can reduce consumption of sugar” (2017). Evidence of SSB tax effectiveness is published in a World Bank 2020 report that details the results of SSB taxes in jurisdictions across the globe. Overall, trends indicate that where taxes are enforced, purchases of SSBs decline. Furthermore, the higher the tax rate the greater the impact on consumer behaviour.

In the Caribbean, Barbados, Bermuda and Dominica have implemented SSB taxes. According to the World Bank report, Barbados implemented a 10% tax on SSBs in 2015 and in the first year, average weekly sales of SSBs overall and carbonated SSBs specifically decreased by 4.3% and 3.6%, respectively. Additionally, sales of non-SSBs increased 5.2%, with bottled water increasing 7.5%. In 2022, the Barbados government decided to increase the SSB tax to 20% after researchers found that some consumers shifted to purchasing cheaper SSB options instead of reducing consumption altogether. According to the WHO, to maximise the desired impact of SSB taxation, a minimal tax rate of 20% is recommended.

In Mexico, where SSB taxes higher than 10% were introduced in 2014, data show that three years after implementation, the excise tax on SSBs helped to increase the proportion of people who do not consume SSBs. A 2020 research study found that before implementation, more than 50% of research participants were medium and high consumers of SSBs and less than 10% were non-consumers. After tax implementation, 43% of the population was categorised as medium and high consumers and the prevalence of non-consumers increased to 14% (BMJ, 2020). Notably, the reduction in SSB consumption after tax implementation also led to recorded health improvements among adolescents in Mexico. For every 10% increase in the city’s average price of an SSB, there was a significant 1.3% absolute decrease in both overweight or obesity prevalence for girls within two years of the SSB price change (JAMA Pediatrics, 2021).

SSB taxation is a win-win solution. Evidence shows that taxation not only helps to reduce consumption which contributes to improved health over time, but it also generates additional government revenue which can be used to fund other necessary health promotion programmes. In Bermuda, SSB tax revenue was reinvested into making healthy foods more accessible by subsidising fruits and vegetables to increase consumption. In addition to healthy food subsidies, SSB tax jurisdictions in the United States report using revenue to invest into early childhood programmes and community infrastructure improvements like recreation centres and public gym parks to promote physical activity (PMR, 2021).

Public support for SSB taxes varies widely by jurisdiction, although when governments commit to designating tax revenue to reinvest into improving public health, general support for taxation increases. For instance, in St. Kitts and Nevis, public opinion polls completed in 2021 reveal that support for implementing SSB taxes across the federation increases if tax revenue is earmarked for investment in health-focused initiatives like improving public water drinking infrastructure. As an evidence-based policy solution SSB taxation is strongly recommended to reduce the consumption of sugary drinks and ultimately help to reduce the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Government is not only being called to act but is encouraged to consider how SSB tax revenue can be designated to increase healthcare resources and improve public health outcomes.

[1] NCD Best-Buys are evidence-based public health interventions for tackling NCDs, according to the World Health Organization

By admin
SodaPicture
SSB TaxYou're Sweet Enough
June 9, 2022

Tackling NCDs through SSB Taxation

Facing the NCD Epidemic in St Kitts and Nevis

In St. Kitts and Nevis, non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of death among residents. According to the latest data published by the St. Kitts and Nevis Ministry of Health, 63% of all deaths are prematurely caused by a preventable chronic illness such as stroke, cancer, diabetes and cardiovascular and respiratory diseases.

The prevalence of NCDs in the federation is a major concern for individuals, families, civil society and government because NCDs threaten quality of life, productivity and sustainable development. In fact, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Global NCD Alliance recognise non-communicable diseases as the world’s number one killer.

Globally, St. Kitts and Nevis has one of the highest prevalence rates of diabetes per capita (24%). Poor diet, physical inactivity, overweight and obesity are some of the risk factors for NCDs that are prevalent among our adults and children. Health data indicate that 1 in 2 adults and 1 in 3 children in St. Kitts and Nevis are overweight or obese, and the consumption of unhealthy products like sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) is at an all-time high with 62% of school-aged children drinking at least one SSB every day (Global High School Survey, 2011).

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The Dangers of SSB Consumption

The consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is of particular concern since some have no nutritional value and exceed recommended daily amounts of sugar for proper health and wellbeing.  Regular consumption of SSBs is a major contributor to the development of obesity, type 2 diabetes, tooth decay and cardiovascular illnesses. Research conducted by Harvard Medical School experts reveals an association between a high-sugar diet and a greater risk of dying from heart disease since consuming too much added sugar can raise blood pressure and increase chronic inflammation, both of which are pathological pathways to heart disease.

The scientific and medical evidence on the dangers of sugar for individuals’ health and wellness is alarming. Consuming too much sugar, especially from SSBs, can be deadly and must be better monitored and controlled. Curtailing SSB consumption and promoting water as the healthy alternative is a primary approach to improving food culture and combatting the NCD epidemic.  

The Solution: Government Policy Interventions

Across the world, individuals, civil society organisations (CSOs), medical professionals and governments have been advocating for and implementing solutions that help to reduce the risk factors associated with NCDs. Public education on healthy food and nutrition, accessible health screening programmes and the promotion of increased physical activity are all necessary inputs for combatting the global NCD problem.

However, addressing the problem also requires that governments take responsibility by using public policy to create healthy food environments and to help consumers make healthier choices. The WHO recommends implementing a suite of health policies that include SSB taxation and octagonal front-of-pack warning labels as evidence-based interventions that reduce the purchase and consumption of SSBs. Health advocates also call on government to implement school nutrition policies that restrict the sale and marketing of SSBs in and around schools to create and promote healthy school environments for our children. Public support for health policies like these is important for inciting government action; as data show, there is need for change in our food consumption and nutrition environments and the time to act is now more than ever.

By admin
LawAndHealthPolicyWebinarFinal (Web)
BlogHealth Policy
April 18, 2022

The Role of Lawyers in the Prevention and Control of NCDs

When it comes to the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), we may not immediately think that lawyers have a role to play, but to ensure an effective NCD response, lawyers are a very important actor in tackling this public health issue.  

The role of lawyers involves using the law as an instrument to facilitate the implementation of an equitable NCD strategy. This is achieved through the development of health-related legislation, treaties and statutes as well as advising on the legalities of Government policy.

One of the core principles of the legal aspect of an NCD response is upholding the public’s right to health.

Health As A Human Right

The World Health Organisation defines health as “a state of complete physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” and with this definition in mind, the WHO declares in its constitution that everyone should have “the right to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health”  and that this right “is one of the fundamental rights of every human being without distinction of race, religion, political belief, economic or social condition.”

Furthermore, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, Article 25 states that:

Everyone has the right to a standard of living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary social services, and the right to security in the event of unemployment, sickness, disability, widowhood, old age or other lack of livelihood in circumstances beyond his control.

Taken together, these statements mean that we all have the right to achieve the best health possible and we also have the right to access nutritious food, clothing and other such elements to achieve good health.

In furthering the conversation about the right to health, the ‘UN Special Rapporteur on the right to health on the adoption of front-of-package warning labelling to tackle NCDs’, explained that when it comes to the right to health, States have a legal obligation to respect, protect and fulfil. This is the basis of human rights law and can be applied to health in the following ways, as described by CESCR General Comment No. 14: The Right to the Highest Attainable Standard of Health (Art. 12)

  1. Respect – requires States to refrain from interfering directly or indirectly with the enjoyment of the right to health
  2. Protect – requires that States to prevent third parties from interfering with a person’s right to health
  3. Fulfil -requires States to adopt appropriate legislative, administrative, budgetary, judicial, promotional and other measures towards the full realisation of the right to health.

Taking into account the right to health,  one of the roles of lawyers in the NCD response is to ensure that the State fulfils their above-mentioned obligations through equitable legislation and policies.

NCD Risk Factors, the Food Environment and Human Rights

In order to implement an effective NCD strategy, one important aspect of the strategy is the prevention of NCDs and most responses focus on the key modifiable risk facts of physical inactivity, an unhealthy diet, tobacco use, harmful use of alcohol and air pollution. This means that countries have and continue to develop laws and policies that address these risk factors.  

NCDs and their Modifiable Risk Factors (Image credit: NCD Alliance)

Through our You’re Sweet Enough campaign, we have been focusing on one of these risk factors, an unhealthy diet.  The reason for focusing on this risk factor is to address the concerning state of our food environment; we live in a very unhealthy and obesogenic food environment. This is an environment where unhealthy food is more accessible than healthy options and, furthermore, the pervasive marketing of unhealthy foods is dictating the choices that the public makes. This means that our food system is promoting unhealthy weight gain through the removal of choice and through psychological conditioning of consumers – this is a violation of the right to health, but also is a violation of a number of human rights including:

  • The right to information: many foods lack enough information or understandable information about their nutritional content, and therefore the public is unable to make an informed choice about the foods they purchase
  • Right to food: the current food environment where unhealthy food is easily accessible means that the public doesn’t have easy access to real, nutritious food
  • Right to life: the lack of access to information and food, means that the public is being deprived of the nutritious food that is required to sustain their lives
  • Right to scientific progress – researchers have now proved the link between unhealthy foods and NCDs, but industry interference, marketing and manipulation has meant that this evidence is not always reaching the consumer or has taken many years to reach the consumer
  • Children’s rights –  The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child states that “Children have the right to the best health care possible, clean water to drink, healthy food and a clean and safe environment to live in.”

Lawyers, therefore, must assist the State in developing laws and policies that reverse the obesogenic environment and create a healthy food environment where we can all thrive. 

NCD Policies and Laws

Our You’re Sweet Enough project focuses on sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs)  and this is because of their high sugar content.  The consumption and overconsumption of SSBs  has been linked to the development of obesity and other NCDs such as type two diabetes and some cancers. As a result of this we have be advocating for Government policies and laws to create a healthy drinking environment. These policies are evidence-based and have been recommended by the World Health Organisation as part of their ‘Best buys’ for the prevention and control of NCDs. These policies include:

  • Front of package warning labels on SSBs to provide consumers with a quick and easy way of identifying beverages that are high in sugar
  • The restriction of the sale and marketing of SSBs to children
  • The introduction of an excise tax of at least 20% on SSBs to reduce the purchase and consumption of these products

Currently, the Government of St. Kitts and Nevis is developing an SSB policy and lawyers can play an instrumental role in the development of this policy by ensuring that these policies are not only effective at preventing and controlling NCDs, but are fair, equitable and protect human rights. Additionally, they must ensure that the policies and legislation are legally sound and can stand up to the interference from the food and beverage industry which in other countries has sought to block or reverse evidence-based healthy food policies.

Building the Capacity of Lawyers

As part of our work to ensure that lawyers are equipped to contribute to the NCD response, we teamed up with the Ministry of Health and the Law and Health Research Unit at the University of the West Indies to host a webinar on the role of law in public health policy. This webinar focused on tobacco control and SSBs and sought to provide lawyers in St Kitts and Nevis with guidance on how they can support the development of tobacco control and SSB policies. Speakers included:

  • Dr Marissa Carty, the NCD Programme Coordinator at the Ministry of Health in St Kitts and Nevis
  • Nicole Foster, Deputy Dean and Head, Health and Law Research Unity at the University of the West Indies

Welcome remarks were provided by Mr Garth Wilkin, the President of the Bar Association and closing remarks were delivered by Rhonda Nisbett-Browne, Member of the Bar Association

This was a very informative session and we would like to thank Dr Marissa Carty and Nicole Foster for their excellent presentations, the Bar Association for partnering with us and all the lawyers who attended.  A recording of the event is below.

Conclusion

Lawyers have a very important role to play in preventing and controlling NCDs. They ensure that the State fulfils its human rights obligations of securing everyone’s right to health by supporting the development of equitable legislation and policies.

Sources
  1. Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights and Word Health Organisation (2008). Right to Health. Factsheet No. 31, June 2008
  2. UN (1946). Universal Declaration of Human Rights
  3. UN (1989). Convention of the Rights of the Child
  4. UN Committee on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (CESCR), General Comment No. 14: The Right to the Highest Attainable Standard of Health (Art. 12 of the Covenant), 11 August 2000, E/C.12/2000/4, available at: https://www.refworld.org/docid/4538838d0.html  [accessed 16 April 2022]
  5. World Health Organization. (‎2017)‎. Tackling NCDs: ‘best buys’ and other recommended interventions for the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases. World Health Organization.https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/259232. License: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO
By admin
BudgetCover
Health Policy
December 17, 2021

Health Minister announces SSB Policy for 2022

During national budget presentations in the St. Kitts and Nevis National Assembly on December 15, 2021, Hon. Akilah Byron-Nisbett, Minister of Health et al. announced that the implementation of a Sugar-Sweetened Beverage (SSB) Policy is on the agenda for 2022. 

In her presentation, the Minister of Health listed a few initiatives that the government intends to undertake as part of plans for the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the new fiscal year. Plans include the reactivation of the local NCD Commission, the implementation of the national SSB Policy and a Tobacco Control Act. 

The Minister reported that improvements have been made in reducing the incidences and impact of NCDs in the federation. She notes that “epidemiological statistics have revealed that over the period 2015 to 2020…the number of deaths associated with diabetes and high blood pressure are notably trending downwards”.  The average mortality data for NCD related deaths is reported to have decreased from 83% to 63% within the stated period.  

View and listen to the excerpt clip below broadcasting the Minister of Health’s budget presentation on all plans to combat NCDs as part of the 2022 public health agenda.

By admin
ImprovingNutrition2
DietHealth Policy
October 23, 2021

Improving Nutrition Through Policy

From 11th to 14th October 2021, the Department of Nutrition and Food Safety of WHO and UNICEF hosted a week-long series of webinars that explored strategies for improving nutrition through bold actions in health and food systems.

Three of the webinars in this series aligned perfectly with the work that we’re doing to promote healthy drinking habits  through our You’re Sweet Enough campaign, so we were delighted to attend to learn more about global approaches which could be applied to our local context here in St Kitts and Nevis.  

The three webinars that we attended were:

  • Improving Diets Through Fiscal Policies
  • Improving Diets Through Labelling and Marketing Restrictions
  • Improving Nutrition in Children and Adolescents Through Comprehensive School-Bassed Policies and Programmes

In the first webinar we attended, Improving Diet Through Fiscal Policies, there was a focus on various fiscal measures to improve the diets of the public and thus improve the health of consumers. These measures included taxation of unhealthy products like sugar-sweetened beverages and subsidising healthy products. Taking us through the various measures were speakers from Mexico, South Africa, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and Portugal who discussed the steps that their countries are taking particularly around the taxation of unhealthy foods. It was interesting to note that  Saudi Arabia has introduced a sugar-sweetened beverage tax of 50% on sodas and 100% on energy drinks in order to tackle their very high rates of obesity and NCDs. These SSB tax rates are the highest SSB tax of the countries represented on the panel and have resulted in a significant reduction in purchases of SSBs showing that bold action with fiscal policies can be effective.

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The second webinar we attended focused on labelling and marketing restrictions. This webinar featured speakers from Saudi Arabia, Mexico, Thailand, France, the UK and Chile who shared their experiences with front-of-package nutrition labelling (FOPL). Speakers touched on mandatory and voluntary approaches to front-of-package nutrition labelling and the effectiveness of FOPL in empowering consumers to easily assess the nutritional value of the foods they purchase. Additionally, speakers highlighted that the public has the right to know what is in their food and we are, currently, violating their human rights, but simple measures like labelling and restricting marketing of unhealthy foods can address this.

Finally,  the third webinar we attended focused on creating a healthy school environment through comprehensive school-based policies and programmes. This was a very interesting session providing us with the opportunity to learn about projects being implemented by Ministries of Health and Education in Ghana, India and the Dominican Republic to improve the health and wellbeing of school children.  These projects included measures such as providing nutritious meals in schools, health education, nutrition supplementation and disease prevention. Interesting questions were asked about how to reach children who are not in the school system and how to evaluate the impact of such programmes..

These webinars provided us with some good insight on the power of policy in improving the health of populations.  In St Kitts and Nevis, the Government is currently working on developing a Federal SSB policy as part of their NCD Action Plan.  This includes a collection of evidence-based approaches to reduce the public’s consumption of SSBs. We applaud the Ministry of Health for pushing forward with this policy and as part of our You’re Sweet Enough campaign we’re calling for:

  • 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 seeing the Government’s SSB policy finalized and encourage Cabinet to approve the Ministry of Health’s policy so that we can improve the health of our nation.

By admin
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
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
GHAIFacingTwoPandemics
Health Policy
November 26, 2020

GHAI’s Webinar on How the Food and Beverage Industry Undermined Public Health During the Pandemic

Last week, we were delighted to attend the Global Health Advocacy Incubator’s (GHAI) webinar ‘Facing Two Pandemics: How Big Food Undermined Public Health in the Era of COVID-19.’ This webinar featured presentations and a panel discussion with speakers from Latin America and the US, including:

Together, the above-mentioned speakers highlighted the tactics employed by the food and beverage industry to influence food policy and public perception of their brands during the pandemic.

Setting the scene was the first speaker, Holly Wong, who presented the findings from the Global Health Advocacy’s Incubator’s qualitative evaluation of industry interference during the pandemic.  Between March and July 2020, this project collected over 280 examples of industry interference from 18 countries. Through the analysis of these examples, the GHAI was able to identify four main methods used by industry to exploit the pandemic to promote their products, influence food policy and further their own interests at the expense of the public’s health. These four methods included:

Deceptive marketing – this involved positioning their unhealthy products as beneficial to the immune system or to overall health. This enabled companies to classify these products as essential items so their manufacturing facilities could remain open during countries’ States of Emergencies, restrictions or lockdowns.

Corporate Solidarity Actions – this is where companies partnered with governments to fund and support COVID-19 relief efforts and whilst doing so promoted their unhealthy products, strategically aimed to improve the public’s perception of their brands and positioned themselves as authorities on health matters `

Donations of junk food – fast food companies donated their products to disadvantaged communities, frontline workers and food banks. These products are high in salt, sugar and fat and therefore increase the public’s risk of developing NCDs.  It is widely known that individuals with NCDs are more vulnerable to COVID-19 and are more likely to develop complications and therefore these donations do not align with efforts to protect the public from COVID-19.

Philanthropy combined with lobbying against healthy food policies – overall, during the pandemic, the food and beverage industry participated in a range of seemingly philanthropic activities – donating junk food,  setting up COVID-19 test sites, funding online educational platforms for school children and donating respirators –  whilst actively lobbying against beneficial health policies, and thus, in the long run, their lobbying will have a negative impact on the public’s health.

Following Holly Wong’s overview of the findings of the GHAI’s qualitative evaluation, we heard from Camila Maranha and Martha Yaneth Sandoval Salazar who provided specific examples of industry interference in Brazil and Colombia, respectively. This further illustrated the four methods presented by Holly Wong and gave attendees a flavour of how these methods were implemented. The event ended with a panel discussion with additional contributions from Alison Friedman and Lucy Sullivan Martinez.

We really enjoyed this very insightful webinar which was a comprehensive exploration of industry interference and how companies can control and exploit national emergencies if Governments do not have policies or a code of conduct in place to prevent conflicts of interest.

What Does This Mean for the Public?

During this time, the public must eat a healthy diet that is rich in fruits and vegetables to improve their overall health and strengthen their immune system. If products are being marketed as immune boosters, we would encourage the public to evaluate these products to determine whether these claims are accurate. You can seek advice from a trusted source such as your country’s department or ministry of health about evidence-based approaches to strengthen your immune system. It’s also important to avoid the ultra-processed and junk foods that companies are currently heavily promoting as these have no nutritional value and therefore will be of no benefit to your health.

Furthermore, information is power and with this evidence from the GHAI, the public is now empowered to make an informed decision about whether to accept industry’s donations, discounts and giveaways.  The findings of the report also enable the public to understand the food industry’s motives and we would encourage everyone to use this information to become a discerning consumer and be selective about the brands you choose to support.

More Information

You can read GHAI’s full report and executive summary here or you can watch a recording of the webinar here.

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