Is the future of Jamaica a healthy one?

My personal mantra for years has been “let your food be your medicine and your medicine your food”. This is a culture that my generation needs to adopt. Fitness has become the ‘in thing’ but the problem is that persons just want a general muscular look. However, the whole essence of eating healthy, balanced meals and constant exercise is not one that is welcomed.

The Heart Foundation of Jamaica conducted an informal study recently geared towards analysing the eating habits and lifestyle of Jamaican youths, which yielded concerning results. As a dietitian in training, it is worrying that the future leaders of our land are “digging their graves with their forks”.

The results of the survey showed similar trends in the eating patterns of age groups 13-18 and 19-30, indicating that foods such as coffee/tea, breads and cereals, snacks, pre-packaged processed foods, chips, fruit juices/drinks and sauces were consumed within the past year averaging between five times per week or every day.

So, at this rate we are looking at a number of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), such as high cholesterol, diabetes, hypertension, among other illnesses, plaguing our youth in the next five years, if so many.

As we look in our health system, many of the persons who subscribe to the National Health Fund and other health insurance have been diagnosed with one or more NCD. The Non-Communicable Disease and Injury Prevention Unit at the Ministry of Health and Wellness shared some alarming information: “Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and injuries are a major public health burden in Jamaica, and are the leading cause of death. In 2015, an estimated seven out of ten Jamaicans died from the four major NCDs – cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and chronic lower respiratory disease.”

The cost of NCDs is great, as it has been projected that Jamaica can lose billions of dollars (over J$77.1 billion between 2017 and 2032) in treatment costs and productivity loss, all from diabetes complications and cardiovascular diseases alone.

Imagine our youth becoming a part of this problem, as this is exactly where their unhealthy lifestyles and eating habits are leading them to. The burden of NCDs will continue to rise unless we take a stance to urgently address this persistent issue.

IMPLEMENT YOUTH-FOCUSED NATIONAL FOOD POLICIES

With that being said, I urge our Government to implement youth-focused national food policies, including school nutrition policies as the school environment is known to have a powerful influence on the dietary preferences and health behaviours of our Jamaican youth.

This would represent governmental efforts in creating a framework for the implementation of nutrition strategies to provide a supportive environment for students to have access to healthier food options and receive nutrition education messages to help them make healthier dietary and lifestyle choices.

It is also incumbent to hire more nutrition experts throughout our sectors. Just as our schools have a school nurse, there is a need for a school zone nutritionist to conduct nutrition education and work closely with the canteens to provide optimum nutrition to students within a specific area. There is also a need for more nutrition specialists in the health facilities. It is impossible for a single dietitian to serve a 300-bed hospital; patients will not receive the care and attention they deserve if that one person is stretched way too thin. The problem is not the professionals, but rather the need for more positions to be made available.

If we want to fix this growing problem of ‘unhealthy Jamaicans’, the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) needs to invest in a preventative plan more than a curative plan. We have been putting a band aid over this wound for too long. The nutrition of our land cannot be put in the hands of those who know nothing about proper nutrition. It is easy for someone to read information or do an online course in nutrition and believe they are competent, but this is far from true. Nutrition is a science and an art in itself, and must be treated accordingly.

We cannot expect doctors and nurses, with limited nutrition training, who are already crushing under their workload, to fight a war which was not theirs to begin with. This is something that our Government must look into because a healthier nation will be a far lesser strain on our healthcare system, financially and physically.

If we can encourage our young people to develop a culture of healthy eating and lifestyle choices, we will create a healthier Jamaica.

ALL HANDS ON DECK

So far, the Ministry of Health and Wellness has come up with some very good initiatives. One of which was instituted on January 1, 2019 where beverages containing more than six grams of sugar per 100 millilitres were no longer allowed in and around school compounds.

Second, the Jamaica Moves campaign encourages Jamaicans to exercise more, with the catchphrase “love yuh body treat yuh body right”.

Another that is being advocated for is ‘High In’ black octagonal front of package warning labels (FOPWL), which will help our consumers to better understand what is in their food, and have been recommended by health organisations as one of a suite of measures needed to improve population diets. A recent study conducted in Jamaica shows that the ‘High In’ black octagonal model influenced consumers to make healthier food choices and to differentiate foods with lower nutrients of concern.

It is incumbent that the GOJ adopt an evidence-based FOPL system for optimum impact and to diminish confusion. The policy must also be safeguarded from conflict of interest, and other nutrition policies should be developed in parallel to have the biggest impact on diet.

Another recent initiative is the ‘Better for You’ programme, which sees healthier meal options at eight of our leading fast-food restaurants and features a green tick to depict healthier meals to guide consumer choices.

Going forward, we need to focus more on healthier food choices for our young people. It will not only benefit the youth but it will benefit the Government and the expenses that are placed on them on a yearly basis. The growing problem of poor nutrition and our youth must be corrected; this is an all hands on deck approach.

We can make Jamaica a healthier nation. Led by advocacy for nutrition policies for our youth, leveraging the cadre of nutrition professionals, and supported by health education and promotion, the future of Jamaican can indeed be a healthy one.

- Alex Johnson, BSc., is a dietetics and nutrition student; president of the Association of Dietitians/Nutritionists Students (UTECH); and author. Dietitiancornerja on Instagram. Email feedback to ghapjm@gmail.com and columns@gleanerjm.com