Nutritional guidelines, standards essential

THE EDITOR: In a Sunday Newsday commentary, “TT’s unstated food policy” (March 28), Marina Salandy-Brown drew attention to several important matters including food security, strengthening the agricultural sector, the issue of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and the need for well-publicised national nutritional guidelines and standards.

My concern here is about the writer’s call for nutritional guidelines and standards which she discussed in the context of reducing foreign food imports, stimulating agricultural production, addressing the prevalence of NCDs, and having a healthier population. Interestingly, the approach recommended was a national one requiring the collaboration of several government ministries.

Given the high prevalence of NCDs in this country, the call for well-publicised nutritional guidelines and standards should not be ignored.

There are several annual health-promotion programmes that receive very little attention in TT, including Global Week for Action on NCDs and Caribbean Wellness Day, both in September. And then there is the work of the Healthy Caribbean Coalition with initiatives like the healthy Caribbean school project and the octagonal front-of-packaging warning labels identifying products high in sugars, fats, and sodium. Very little is heard in TT about these initiatives aimed at reducing the prevalence of NCDs through public education.

And there are other agencies and groups like the Caribbean Association of Nutritionists and Dietitians (Candi) and Caribbean Pediatricians that work toward improving the health of the region’s citizens with special attention given to children’s health and well-being, including the promotion of guidelines and policies to promote healthy eating among children and young people.

All of these regional initiatives could provide a framework for national nutritional guidelines and standards.

The issue of healthy eating needs to be placed on the front burner in TT.

IAN GREEN

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