NOW MORE THAN EVER: A Conversation About the Urgency To Introduce Front-of-Package Warning Labeling in the Caribbean
Attended by over 350 persons, this webinar took place on Wednesday April 7 and was hosted by the Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC), in partnership with the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO), the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) Commission and UNICEF as part of the regional campaign “Now More Than Ever: Better Labels, Better Choices, Better Health” which seeks to raise awareness of children’s right to nutritious food and mobilize public and policymaker support for adopting octagonal warning labels on the front of packaged products to facilitate healthier food decisions.
CARICOM Members States are currently in the final stages of voting on the adoption of the Final Draft CARICOM Regional Standard for Specification for labelling of pre-packaged foods (FDCRS 5:2010). Following a 3-year extensive multi-stakeholder consultative process the resulting FDCRS 5:2010 meets the highest level of scientific rigor based on the inclusion of the octagon-shaped front-of-package warning labels (FOPWL) indicating when a product is “HIGH IN” one or more critical nutrients (such as sugars, sodium, or fats), and the PAHO nutrient profile model to inform the thresholds that define when these critical nutrients are in excess. Mounting international independent research including a recent study from Jamaica, supports the octagonal FOPWL as the most effective nutritional front-of-package labelling system to allow consumers of all socioeconomic levels to quickly, easily and correctly identify processed and ultra-processed packaged products high in sugars, fats and/or salt, which are linked to non-communicable diseases (NCDs), overweight and obesity.
The webinar, A Conversation About the Urgency to Introduce Front-of-Package Warning Labeling in the Caribbean, laid out the public health arguments for the octagonal ‘High In’ model and the PAHO Nutrient Profile model. Experts from regional public health institutions, academia and civil society presented compelling evidence on the urgency to seize this unique opportunity to introduce octagonal warning labels as a key policy tool of a comprehensive approach to address NCDs, overweight and obesity, that will help Caribbean people make healthier choices for better health.
Sir Trevor Hassell opening remarks
Dr. Aloys Kamuragiye opening remarks
Dr. Didacus Jules opening remarks
Dr. Anselm Hennis opening remarks
Dr. Fabio Da Silva Gomes presentation
Moderator
Mrs. Maisha Hutton
HCC Executive Director
Opening Remarks
Sir Trevor Hassell
HCC President
Dr. Aloys Kamuragiye
UNICEF Representative for the Eastern Caribbean Area
Dr. Didacus Jules
Director General of the Organization of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) (video message, TBC)
Dr. Anselm Hennis
Director, Department of NCDs and Mental Health, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO)
Panel Chair
Sir George Alleyne
Director Emeritus, Pan American Health Organization (PAHO); Patron, HCC
Panel
Mrs. Nicole Foster
Deputy Dean, Academic and Student Affairs, Faculty of Law, UWI Cave Hill Campus; HCC Policy Advisor
Dr. Karen Sealey
Founder and Board Member of the TT NCD Alliance, Member of the HCC Board of Directors
Dr. Aloys Kamuragiye
UNICEF Representative for the Eastern Caribbean Area
Dr. Joy St. John
Executive Director, Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA)
View/download Flyer here.
Read more about Front-of-Package Warning Labeling here.
Now More Than Ever Regional Campaign Promoting Front-of-Package Warning Labelling here.