January 1 - January 7 2014

HCC Feature

Heart & Stroke Foundation of Barbados Weight Loss Initiative

The Heart & Stroke Foundation of Barbados has just completed its first 16 week weight loss programme. The programme started in September 2013 and finished just before Christmas, 10 persons enrolled in the pilot and all but one finished the programme. The CEO of the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Barbados Gina Pitts explained the rationale behind the programme. The Heart & Stroke Foundation weight management programme was developed to assist those persons who had a BMI over 25. We wanted to have a lifestyle programme rather than just a quick fix. Therefore we called on our fitness experts, Registered Nurses and a Nutritionist to construct a programme which reflected our holistic vision, she said.

Classes were kept intentionally small so that the participants received one on one training within the class sessions. Group work and individual consultations with the Nutritionist allowed the participants to individualize their programme. Their was even a tour to the grocery store and in the next programme there will be a meal out to assist participants to make good choices in what can often appear to be a difficult situation.

What is clear is that everyone benefited from the programme. Those that lost the most weight really took the programme to heart and attended all of their fitness classes and nutrition consultations. There were changes in not only physical but psychological food relationship behaviours, a critical element in weight loss.

All of the participants are planning to return for phase II to maintain their weight management, and the intake for the new phase I weight loss programme will be commencing in January. For more information click here

Practice what you preach - Ian Pitts HCC IT Co-ordinator recently enrolled on the The Heart & Stroke Foundation of Barbados sixteen week weight loss programme. The induction session consisted of a thorough health and fitness assessment, I had to complete a series of simple exercises whilst being wired up to a machine monitoring certain vital stats. This was followed by an introductory session with a nutritionist, this was to determine my eating habits, what I eat, how much and when. Based on our discussion it was decided that I was taking on board 3000 calories a day! and was put on a 1000 calorie a day deficit plan.

Read about his experience here

News Roundup

January is Cervical Cancer Awareness Month - Every year, approximately 2,245 women in the Caribbean die of cervical cancer; this translates to approximately 6 women dying every day - entirely unnecessarily. The Caribbean is among the top four highest sub-regions in the world with respect to incidence of cervical cancer and has the highest burden of HPV in the Americas. Cervical cancer is the second leading cause of cancer related deaths among Caribbean women with death rates several magnitudes higher than countries such as the USA. More than 95% of cases of cervical cancer can be prevented. This requires widespread awareness, increased screening and effective prevention and control measures that include Pap Tests, HPV testing, VIA (visual inspection using acetic acid) and vaccination against HPV.

Please share any activities you have planned for the month that you would like us to highlight. We would appreciate a short paragraph summarising your planned activities including your partners and promotional materials.

"The Rise of Open Streets" a short video by Streetfilms that examines the open streets movement from myriad perspectives -- how it began, how events are run, how they shape people's perceptions of their streets, and how creating car-free space, even temporarily, benefits people's lives. And it looks not only at big cities like Los Angeles, but smaller ones like Fargo, Berkeley, and Lexington Read more

Jamaica - BAT and Carreras Limited withdraws its legal challenge - BAT and the Local cigarette distributor Carreras Limited withdraws its legal challenge to the Public Health (Tobacco Control) Regulations 2013. The Heart Foundation of Jamaica and the Jamaica Coalition for Tobacco Control welcome this news, and the next step is to support the Ministry of Health as they finalize the amended tobacco control regulations, including the requirement for 75% graphic health warnings on cigarette packs. The press coverage of the the BAT/Carreras case can seen on the links below

• Legal showdown between Fenton, Carreras begins today - RJR News - Dr. Fenton Ferguson, Minister of Health, is declaring that his Ministry is ready for what is shaping up to be a legal showdown with cigarette distributor Carreras, over smoking regulations. Read more
• Carreras Public Health Regulations challenge in Supreme Court today - Jamaica Gleaner - Lawyers representing local cigarette distributor Carreras Limited are to go before the Supreme Court today as it seeks to challenge the Public Health (Tobacco Control) Regulations 2013. Read more
• Carreras withdraws tobacco regulations challenge - Jamaica Gleaner - Local cigarette distributor Carreras Limited has withdrawn its legal challenge to the Public Health (Tobacco Control) Regulations 2013. Read more

Call For Abstracts - 2014 NCD Child Conference

NCD Child invites submissions of abstracts to be presented at the 2014 NCD Child Conference. There will be two categories for submission - Abstracts for the Young Health Scholarships 2014 (for those 24 and under) and Abstracts for publication within the Conference Program. Read more

NCD Alliance Webinar - 134th WHO Executive Board , Thursday January 16th - In preparation for the 134th WHO Executive Board (WHO EB) Meeting. The webinar will take place on Thursday January 16th at 10:00AM EST/ 16:00CET. You will be able to send in questions and feedback during the webinar. We invite our members to submit questions prior to the webinar by 15 of January by emailing us nfo@ncdalliance.org. Register Here

NCD Alliance E-Alert - UN Secretary-General's Progress Report on NCDs released: 2014 has got off to a flying start with the release of the UN Secretary-General’s progress report on NCDs. Preparing for the 134th WHO Executive Board: The 134th WHO Executive Board (EB) will convene in Geneva on 20-25 January. Read more

NCI Summer Curriculum in Cancer prevention - applications for the NCI Summer Curriculum in Cancer prevention is currently open.Two courses are offered to healthcare professionals: a four-week course focused on the principles and practice of cancer prevention and control, and a one-week course on molecular prevention. These courses take place in Rockville, Maryland, and feature faculty members from throughout the U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) and other academic institutions. Read more

CCS 2014 - Abstract Submission Closes in under Two Months - The CCS 2014 Conference Planning Committee is still accepting abstracts for presentation at the 2014 Annual Caribbean Cardiology Conference. The CCS Conference is the premier cardiovascular meeting in the Caribbean and one of the region's preeminent medical meetings. We hope you will take the opportunity to participate in what we know will be an educational and engaging learning experience. Read more

California Soda Tax Would Save Hundreds Of Millions In Medical Costs, Study Finds - A proposed tax on sugary drinks in California could save hundreds of millions of dollars in medical costs and reduce new cases of diabetes by tens of thousands, a University of California, San Francisco study found. While a bill proposing a one-cent-per-ounce “soda tax” from state Sen. Bill Monning (D-Carmel) was shelved last May, he vowed to reintroduce the initiative on Jan. 6 when the legislature reconvenes. Read more

NCD Articles on WebMD

• 5 Misconceptions About High BP - Knowing the facts about high blood pressure is key to managing the condition. Find out what’s true and what’s not. Read more
• 8 Ways to Lower Your Cancer Risk - Could eating watermelon make a difference? Simple changes to your daily lifestyle may help cut your cancer risk. Read more
• How to Breathe for Better Health - Rapid belly breathing may help lower your heart rate and blood pressure. Find the right breathing technique for your body. Read more
• Men's Guide to Heart Attacks - During a heart attack, men may not experience dramatic symptoms like you've seen in the movies. Learn what sensations may signal a dangerous heart blockage. Read more
• 12 Diabetes-Friendly Exercise Tips - Help prevent nerve damage, avoid injury, and improve balance with these easy-to-follow tips. Read more

HCC News Roundup Archive - If you have missed any of our News Roundups you can view previous Roundups on our News Roundup Archive webpage here

HCC Featured - Previously featured Members, events and news can now be found on our HCC Featured webpage here

Healthy Caribbean Coalition