We were absolutely delighted to have been featured on Loop Caribbean for our efforts to raise awareness of fibroids in St Kitts and Nevis.
The article highlights our fibroids educational event in March 2019, our recent fibroids webinar series and our recent qualitative research project.
You can read the article on Loop Caribbean here.
In an article written by the Governor of the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank, Timothy Antoine, he explains how the COVID-19 pandemic is exacerbating food and nutrition insecurity across the Caribbean region. Food and nutrition security is not only about the sustainability of food supply systems, but it is also about food accessibility, price, safety and nutritional value. The article highlights the fact that the pandemic has further weakened vulnerable food systems in the region due to high levels of dependence on imported products from international food supply chains.
Antoine notes how the health impacts of the pandemic are particularly alarming since income losses are limiting households’ ability to purchase nutritious foods, which are vital for building healthy immune response to illnesses during the pandemic. Considering these economic challenges, the purchase and consumption of cheaper, ultra-processed foods that are high in sodium, sugar and fats has increased. Prior to the pandemic, the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the region was already attributed to poor nutrition and unhealthy consumption choices, and within the current economic context, these unhealthy food alternatives are most accessible and affordable, especially for low-income households.
The article concludes with a call to action for Caribbean governments to reduce the regional food import bill and invest in cultivating an indigenous food supply ecosystem that enables trade of local produce by:
Acknowledging the public health challenges that the region faces with NCDs and the ways the COVID-19 pandemic has exacerbated the vulnerability of our food and nutrition systems, Governor Antoine encourages the adoption of an all of society approach to improving the health and sustainability of our people. Governments, private sector, civil society and individuals each have an important role to play in enhancing food and nutrition security as a primary approach to combatting the threat of non-communicable diseases and implementing meaningful long-term solutions for socio-economic transformation and sustainability.
To read the original article click here.
CARICOM member states have been discussing and voting on the adoption of a regional food labelling standard, which would require an octagonal front of package warning label (FOPWL) to be placed on food products “High in” sugars, sodium and fats, according to thresholds outlined by the PAHO Nutrient Profile Model. These nutrients are of great public health concern as excess consumption is linked to obesity and non-communicable diseases (NCDs); which are a significant burden to the people and economy of the Caribbean. Voting on the standard by CARICOM member states ends on May 31, 2021.
FOPWL is one of a combination of key policies, which have been identified by PAHO/WHO as ‘Best Buys’ to tackle overweight, obesity and diet-related NCDs. Specifically, the octagonal FOPWL scheme allows consumers to quickly, easily and correctly identify packaged foods which are high in critical nutrients of concern. Evidence, including a study conducted by the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Jamaica, the University of Technology, Jamaica and PAHO, has shown that octagonal warning labels performed better than all other front of pack labelling schemes in improving the capacity of consumers to make healthier food decisions in Jamaica. To learn more about regional advocacy for FOPWL, visit the Healthy Caribbean Coalition and show your support by signing a petition here.
During our last Health & Herbal Tea feature on WinnFm, our Advocacy Officer, Isalean Phillip, had an informative conversation with public engagement on the topic of FOPWL. Check out the radio show feature below and remember to join us live every first Wednesday for Health & Herbal Tea.
We are delighted to have received a grant from the Commonwealth Foundation to explore the impact of the pandemic on people living with NCDs.
This World Water Day, Lake Health and Wellbeing, in collaboration with the Ministry of Health in St Kitts, has launched a health education campaign encouraging the public to drink more water and reduce their consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs).
This 9-month campaign, titled You’re Sweet Enough, is intended 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. Sadly, data shows that NCDs contribute to 83% of deaths in St Kitts and Nevis.
By reducing SSB consumption, we can reduce a major source of sugar in diets and this can lead to a reduction in NCD risk and related death and disability.
The campaign will use social media, billboards, music, videos, animation, a campaign website and info-session events to provide information across St Kitts and Nevis. Through these platforms, Lake Health and Wellbeing will be urging people to think before they drink, consider the amount of sugar in beverages and opt for water instead.
Abi Begho, Director at Lake Health and Wellbeing, stated, “Generally speaking, when we think about a healthy diet, there is a focus on healthy eating, which is of course essential, but it is also important to drink healthily too. Reducing our consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages is one way to combat the high rates of obesity in St Kitts and Nevis, which is a leading risk factor for developing NCDs.”
Whilst Dr Marissa Carty, the NCD Coordinator at the Ministry of Health, added:
“The scientific, medical, and public health communities all agree that the negative effects of sugar-sweetened beverages on weight gain, heart disease, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers are of great concern. The Ministry of Health recognizes this concern and is in the process of developing a sugar-sweetened beverage policy that will include interventions to reduce the consumption of SSBs in the Federation. Meanwhile, we are encouraging the general public to ‘Rethink Your Drink’ by paying close attention to the sugar content in the drinks you consume by actively reading the nutrition labels and drinking more water.”
You can view and share some of our campaign material below.
On 17th March 2021, our Advocacy and Research Officer, Isalean Phillip, was interviewed on WINNFM’s morning show, Island Tea.
During her interview, Isalean discussed the work of our NGO, the public health challenges that we face in St Kitts and Nevis and she introduced the public to our upcoming sugar-sweetened beverage campaign which launches on 22nd March 2021. She also announced that our new regular slot on Island Tea, Health and Herbal Tea, will start in April and provide a platform for us to discuss issues related to NCDs, obesity and sugar-sweetened beverages.
If you missed her interview, you can view the recording below and if you have any questions, please leave a comment in the comments section below.
If you live in St Kitts and Nevis and are over the age of 18, we would love to hear from you! We’re conducting a beverage survey and would be so grateful if you would complete the survey, it will just take about five minutes.
The purpose of this survey is to gain your honest opinion on specific health issues and to understand what beverages you drink and how often you consume them. Your answers will help us as we develop a new project on beverage consumption. The final data or report will speak to national views and opinions and at no point will participants be identified.
The survey will ask about how concerned you are about non-communicable disease (NCDs), your thoughts on different approaches to tackle NCDs, your experience with NCDs and how often you drink certain beverages.
Once you complete the survey, you can enter a raffle competition and get the chance to win some great prizes.
You can complete the survey below and if you have any questions or would like any clarifications, please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. You can either leave a comment below in the comments section or you can send us an email
We are absolutely delighted to have recently received a grant from the Global Health Advocacy Incubator (GHAI) to support our efforts to tackle non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in St Kitts and Nevis.
NCDs are a major challenge in St Kitts and Nevis and are the leading cause of mortality, morbidity and hospital admissions. A study conducted by the University of Newcastle and the Ministry of Health (MoH) reported that 54% of adults had at least one chronic illness and the Nevis Island Administration recently reported that 85% of hospital admissions were NCD-related. Furthermore, 83% of deaths in St Kitts and Nevis are due to NCDs.
Driving the high prevalence of NCDs is obesity. The 2008 WHO STEPS survey found that 33.5% of 25-64-year olds were overweight and 45% were obese. Also, a PAHO report published in 2012 revealed that 32.5% of secondary school children were overweight and 14.4% were obese.
To prevent high levels of mortality and morbidity due to NCDs, we need to tackle obesity and an important way that we can do this is by ensuring that we create a healthy environment where it is easy to make healthy choices.
This grant will help us advocate for government policies and decisions related to unhealthy food and beverages and implement a media campaign focusing on the harms of unhealthy choices. By doing this we hope to drive the change that is required to reduce the public’s consumption of unhealthy food and beverages and therefore reduce the rate of NCDs.
We are very grateful to the GHAI for their support and look forward to making a difference to the public’s health through this project.
Over the next few months look out for information on this new project. In the meantime, if you have any questions or comments, please email info@lakehealthandwellbeing.com
Pan American Health Organisation (2012). Health in the American 2012: St Kitts and Nevis [Online]. Available at: https://www.paho.org/salud-en-las-americas-2012/index.php?option=com_docman&view=download&category_slug=hia-2012-country-chapters-22&alias=145-saint-kitts-nevis-145&Itemid=231&lang=en
UNICEF, (2017). Situation Analysis of Children in the Federation of St Kitts and Nevis. [Online] Bridgetown: UNICEF Office for the Eastern Caribbean Area and the Government of St Kitts and Nevis, pp, 12-79. Available at: https://www.unicef.org/easterncaribbean/ECAO_St._Kitts_Sitan_2017.pdf
We will be starting a new project to advocate for policies that promote healthy drinking, and we are recruiting an Advocacy Officer.
We’re happy to announce that our My Healthy Heroes badges and fridge magnets are now available at Best Way Pharmacy in St Kitts.
These badges and fridges magnets are a great keepsake for children and act as a reminder for kids of what they should and shouldn’t be eating as part of a healthy diet. We’ve tried to use a bit of humour with these items and hope it’ll put a little smile on children’s faces.
Our My Healthy Heroes program aims to educate and empower children to make healthy choices by tapping into their creativity to highlight the importance of a healthy lifestyle in a fun and engaging way.
At the beginning of the year, we ran a 6-week pilot of our My Healthy Heroes program with fourth-graders from St Kitts. This pilot project aimed to test our resources and characters (Healthy Heroes, Sugary Drinks Assassins and Junk Food Villains) and determine whether our approach would be effective at educating children about healthy eating and more importantly facilitate a change in their behaviour.
One of the items we tested with children during our pilot was our badges, and they were a hit. Children wore the badges to the sessions every week and did their best to win more by answering questions about healthy eating, it was fun.
If you’d like to find out more about our My Healthy Heroes project, you can read about our pilot here.
So, if you’d like a fun trinket for your children or students, then please do visit Best Way Pharmacy in St Kitts (near the cinema) and pick up a badge or fridge magnet. Additionally, bulk orders are available for health awareness events and for use in the classroom if you’re a teacher. For more information, please email us
Finally, we’re hoping to begin work on the next phase of our project in a couple of months and more information will be made available about this soon.
