1 in 3 Children in Antigua and Barbuda Affected by Obesity: A Call to Action on World Obesity Day
With one in three children in Antigua and Barbuda suffering from obesity, urgent intervention is required to protect the health and future of the nation’s youth.
The Heart & Stroke Foundation, Antigua and Barbuda is bringing this issue to the forefront as it joins the global movement for World Obesity Day on Tuesday, March 4, 2025, under the theme “Changing Systems, Healthier Lives.”
Obesity is more than an individual challenge – it is a systemic issue rooted in the availability of nutritious foods, physical activity opportunities, school meal programmes, and healthcare access. The rising rates of childhood obesity in Antigua and Barbuda highlight the need for immediate and collective action.
To drive home the urgency of the situation, the Foundation is sharing its Childhood Obesity PSA, emphasizing the serious impact of obesity on young lives. The campaign serves as a stark reminder that without systemic change, the health and well-being of future generations remain at risk.
The Heart & Stroke Foundation advocates for:
- Stronger policies to regulate food options and marketing to children.
- Healthier school meal programmes to provide balanced, nutritious choices.
- Community fitness initiatives to encourage active lifestyles.
- Improved access to nutritious foods for families and children.
Through these measures, the goal is to create an environment where every child in Antigua and Barbuda has the opportunity to grow up healthy.
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The entire antigua need to go on a healthy living to much fast food
We really need to encourage and ensure our children eat healthy. Health is indeed wealth and we need.
Not just our children though. We the adults too need to lead by example
When I suggested that the school meals program needed a nutritionist I was accused of being negative etc etc. Proper eating habits begin in childhood and if there is no opportunity in the home then the school meal can at least trigger the start of these habits. Hope my words did not fall on deaf ears.
Peetsah, Sha-war-ma, Chikkin and Chipps
We have to improve our diet and start doing more sport.
“We the adults need to lead by example ” And that’s one of the main reasons for obesity in Antigua. Check the average woman in Antigua her size, her weight. That’s what their children see. The mothers eating a plate of food high like a mountain and their own is like a hill. So to the children, that’s a norm.. like follow the leader
Perhaps the government could try to incentivize healthy foods being consumed by giving grants to persons who want to open eateries based on healthy foods e.g. vegetable soups, fruit smoothies, healthy sandwiches, healthy snacks etc. What about a healthy eating day every year with every workplace etc. serving healthy meals, competitions to create new veggie dishes etc. One important consideration is portion sizes. Adding more Protein, healthy Fat and Fibre is healthier than having too many carbs. Carbs should always be eaten with these to avoid overeating the carbs leading to sugar spikes and excessive fat storage. Too much processed carbs is the main problem. Kids need to be taught what healthy portions look like and how to balance meals. Our ancestors just ate whatever they could find but they were more physically active so they burned the excess energy quickly. These days people are less physically active. So, more thought has to be put into meals to try to stay on track.
Some of these parents are to be blamed. Everytime the children say they want food they feeding them. Some children bags are packed so much junk you wonder why these children FAT? instead of lemon juice we give them chubby. Instead of bread and cheese we give them tortia chips. Come on. These children dont even drink water. Cotton Candy….lays…skittles…MnMs…DOH ask me how i know….Unhealthy lifestyle. We pick them up and drop them off. No time for physical activity. When they jump out of the car at home they sit and watch TV or on their phones….PARENTS are to be blamed
Health is wealth. Parents need to do better in terms of giving their children better nutritional foods to eat and encourage more physical activity. The way the world is going with technology people barely want to do any activities anymore. Even doing home workouts is good. Eating healthy is expensive but i think once done in moderation it is affordable. CUT THE CARBS!
Healthy foods are expensive. Noodles…bread…are cheap. Go figure
The shortening of breaks, reduction of PE activities and how expensive healthy food is to purchase is of course going to result in a rise in childhood obesity
Very sad. Eating healthy in 🇦🇬 is very expensive, especially with single parents having so many mouths to feed. The government can chip in to assist. Also changing our lifestyles.
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