High-in labelling still the best choice

As Barbados and other Caribbean Community (CARICOM) states await a decision on the next step for a front of package labelling (FOPL) system to be adopted to help fight non-communicable diseases (NCDs), one of the region’s main advocacy groups for healthy living says it believes the ‘high-in’ octagonal warning system remains the best choice.

After months of discussions and research, CARICOM member states voted on the ‘high-in’ octagonal FOPL model last May, with six countries voting for, three voting against it and six abstaining – resulting in a less than 75 per cent vote needed for it to be approved.

In an interview with Barbados TODAY, President of the Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC) Sir Trevor Hassell made it clear that the HCC supported the fight against NCDs and the ‘high-in’ octagonal FOPL drafted by the CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) and was the best option.

He said the abstention by some member states was merely an indication that the country was unable to put forward a position for any number of reasons including an inability to reach consensus or the absence of a national process to review the standard and arrive at a position.

Sir Trevor said the initial decision to put forward that system was based on “the best available research” and further supported by several regional organisations.

“The ‘high-in’ octagonal front of package warning label recommended in the CROSQ standard outperforms every other label in assisting consumers – regardless of age, literacy, language and socioeconomic background – to correctly, quickly and easily identify foods high in sugars, fats and sodium,” he explained.

“The current CROSQ standard also addresses its primary regulatory objective of addressing the epidemic of NCDs in the region, which if left unchecked, pose a serious threat to human capital and human security – a cost which cannot be sustained by our vulnerable small island developing states economies,” he warned.

Sir Trevor said “The HCC reaffirms our support, alongside six CARICOM Member states including Barbados, for the ‘high-in’ octagonal front of package warning label. Caribbean citizens not only deserve the best label, but have a fundamental right to avail themselves of the best possible interventions to prevent and control obesity and NCDs.”

As the CARICOM Private Sector Organisation finalises an Impact Assessment Study for a new proposal to be put forward this year, the HCC is cautioning that any regional standard developed should meet the “agreed regulatory objective” and should be based on the best available science free of conflict of interest.

“If stakeholders in the Caribbean feel that additional research is required, this research should be first and foremost guided by the public health objective of the CROSQ standard. The research should then be conducted according to international best practice principles and led by regionally-recognized institutions, free of conflicts of interest, such as the UWI, PAHO, CARPHA; subject to peer review free of bias and adherence to sound ethical principles and funded by sources free of conflicts of interest,” he suggested.

Sir Trevor said he was satisfied that regional leaders have shown leadership in tackling unhealthy diets having identified childhood obesity as an urgent priority and committed to implementing a number of nutrition policies including labelling.

However, with unhealthy diets being one of the main risk factors for NCDs and obesity, he warned that regional leaders need to “act quickly” to implement policies and programmes which improve population nutrition.

“Governments must prioritise specific policies which are supported by evidence or they run the risk of implementing weak policies which will not achieve the desired outcome. Research has shown that the ‘high-in’ octagonal front of package warning label is the most effective label which leads to significant changes in consumer purchase patterns in favour of healthier options,” he said.

At the same time, Sir Trevor said healthy food policies should address issues relating to access, availability and affordability of healthy food options.

This, he said, should include “taxation of unhealthy ultra-processed foods including sugar-sweetened beverages, as is done in Barbados; subsidies on healthy foods; regulating the sale and marketing of unhealthy ultra-processed foods in school settings and broadly regulating the marketing of these harmful products to children”.

He also recommended that the private sector play a role by supporting the implementation of policies including the high-in octagonal FOPL.

The advocate acknowledged that the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic had resulted in a drastic shift in priorities and created a significant strain on countries’ health systems, but added that the past two years have also shed light on obesity and NCDs, given their link to the COVID-19 disease.

He said governments should focus more on prevention with a “whole of society approach”.

“Governments should strengthen multi-sectoral mechanisms with appropriate conflict of interest policies/safeguards such as National NCD Commissions, to promote the implementation of coherent NCD prevention and treatment policies,” he recommended.
marlonmadden@barbadostoday.bb