The Caribbean Institute for Health Research (CAIHR) and the Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC) hosted a Virtual Caribbean Healthy Food Policy Research Symposium, on April 5th and 6th, 2022.
These two regional entities are collaborating on a Healthy Food Policy Symposium to highlight ground-breaking research being conducted by academics based at CAIHR related to the following subject areas of keen interest to HCC and their partners of significant importance to the health of the region:
- Taxation of unhealthy foods/ subsidies of healthy foods
- Mandatory Front-of-Package Warning Labels
- Nutrition Labelling
- Enacting legislation related to The International Code of Marketing of Breast- milk Substitutes
- Effects of marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages to children
- Impact of the sale and marketing of unhealthy foods in schools
The symposium brought together diverse actors including academic and research institutions, civil society, government partners, UN agency representatives and doctorate and post-graduate students from across the region.
The objectives of the webinar were as follows:
- To showcase Caribbean food/food policy research and researchers.
- To explore opportunities and mechanisms to strengthen networks and partnerships between food/food policy researchers and regional advocates.
- To explore emerging research areas that support and advance healthy food policy advocacy, policies and programmes.
- To discuss strategies needed to build capacity in research areas linked to healthy food policies and programmes.
- To develop a Healthy Food Policy Research Agenda to support and advance healthy food policy advocacy, policies and programmes.
Healthy Food Policy Research Agenda
In fulfilment of the final meeting objective, the Healthy Food Policy Research Agenda developed during the symposium is available here.
The priority research areas and actions arose over the course of the meeting and were discussed and agreed upon during the last session. Moving forward, CAIHR and HCC plan to host an annual symposium which will provide a platform on which progress towards the agenda deliverables will be collectively assessed, and the priority research areas and actions refined, where necessary.
Presentations:
FOOD LANDSCAPES & SUPPLY
- Jamaica Salt Consumption, Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices (Salt-KAP) Study – Professor Trevor S Ferguson, CAIHR. view/download
- Profile of Regional Food Imports in the CARICOM Region – Dr. Govind Seepersad, UWI St. Augustine. view/download
- Food Security Before, During & After COVID-19 – Professor Fitzroy Henry, University of Technology, Jamaica. view/download
- Rapid Research and Data Needs in LMICs –Dr. Ishtar Govia, CAIHR. view/download
- Pilots /Interventions addressing challenges in the Food Environment – Professor Alafia Samuels, FaN. view/download
- Taxing Sugar Sweetened Beverages in Barbados – Winston Moore, UWI. view/download
FISCAL POLICIES & FOPWL
- Evidence to Inform Sugar-sweetened Beverage Tax Policy Development in the Caribbean – Professor Lisa Powell, University of Illinois Chicago. view/download
- Effectiveness of the sugar tax in Bermuda: A qualitative and quantitative evaluation – Dr. Elisa Pineda, Imperial College Business School. view/download
- An Estimation of the Disease and Economic Burden Associated with Sugar Sweetened Beverage Consumption in Trinidad and Tobago – Ms. Michelle Ash, Nutrition & Metabolism Division Ministry of Health Special Services & Programmes Building and Dr. Kimberly-Ann Gittens-Baynes, The UWI, HEU, Centre for Health Economics. view/download
SCHOOL NUTRITION POLICIES & MARKETING
- Alternative Snack and Beverage Map – Stacia Whitaker, RDN. view/download
- JAMBAR Kids – School Environment Study – Dr. Suzanne Soares-Wynter, CAIHR. view/download
- Model Nutrition Policies and Marketing Regulations – Ms. Nicole Foster, HCC and Ms. Kimberley Benjamin, HCC. view/download
- National Assessment of The Marketing of Food and Non-Alcoholic Beverages to Children in Jamaica – Findings of the Retail Audit – Dr. Audrey Morris, PAHO. view/download