A message from President of the Heart and Stroke Foundation on World Heart Day 2019
On World Heart Day 2019 Barbados and the region have never had a more poignant time in our history, to stop and take note of the threats to our very survival; the heartbeats of our people are at risk.
Our current generations occupying this space have, by default and design, been accused of leaving a world behind that carries a much greater threat to future hearts than they inherited. This has resulted from our man-made environments, which, with all their architectural appeal and fast-food sound-bytes, have created many unforeseen challenges. The species has underestimated the impact that this highly sophisticated and built-for-purpose ecosystem could eventually have on our very survival. Simply put, our environment is now exerting revenge on centuries of abuse; witness climate change and unhealthy lifestyle diseases – the so-called non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
The impact of climate change on vulnerable hearts is most evident in the fragile landscapes of our Caribbean tapestry. The islands of The Bahamas are recent examples of these extreme phenomena, but equally noticeable are the degree changes in our hotter “summers” and dryer droughts. These not only affect the heart of where we work and live, but they threaten the food security of a region nakedly exposed to a highly competitive international market with rising costs of food and medicines.
This appears heartless, but remains the reality of countries now trying to reverse a culture of plastics and water wastage, to one of recycling and conservation.
Notwithstanding this trend towards reversal, the heartfelt truth remains that these smaller states may not be able to afford the solutions. Our world, the first world, remains a distant front runner in this fight. And at record speed, the gap between the first and third world widens. The lack of equity in this field seems heartless, and yet even as we look towards our much bigger brothers, a cancer of inequality remains pervasive. How can we begin to address a problem in our own country of Barbados, when it still seems to haunt us at the heart of our DNA? The annual season of nature’s terrifying revenge must be a wake-up call to take heart of where we live and how we repair it. Our scientists and other scholars are faced with a fertile ground of problems to fix. The challenge will be how innovative society’s response becomes towards solutions.
The physical environment is well defined and familiar to even the youngest hearts amongst us. The social environment, the colour, taste, and sound of our heartbeat is less evident to the untrained eye. We live in a world regulated by the economy of time, with minute meals, express travel, and fast cash. The social determinants of health include access to health care, educational status and economic stability, but are only a few examples in this mix. Collectively, they not only influence how comfortable we are in our physical environment, but determine our risk factors for major diseases that cause our premature death.
These NCDs, such as high blood pressure, diabetes and cancers are nurtured by the growing risk of obesity. The social determinants of health mean that our poorest brothers and sisters are less likely to afford healthy foods, and alarmingly, this burden appears to be trans-generational. Childhood obesity is an easy target in environments that are saturated with sugar dense beverages, high in trans-fats, and with limited physical activity. Even within the more regulated and disciplined environments of our schools, the indiscipline of school menus and sale of sugar sweetened beverages create ‘sweet-hearts’ and cardiovascular risk at an early age.
The trajectory of these trends is potentially catastrophic and heartbreaking. But what can societies, small and susceptible as we are, do to reverse this trend? What is the role of civil society, such as the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Barbados? What is the role of elected government? Should a change to the health environment be constructed by legislation and incentives? Should the risk to our heart healthiness be treated as a multi-sectoral problem? What role do our much bigger and wealthier brothers, contributing directly and indirectly to the heart environmental change, owe to the welfare of all humanity? These questions do not at all forecast easy solutions. However, they must trigger a national philosophical change in how we interact with our habitat, and who we hold accountable for securing its future.
On this World Heart Day 2019, I encourage all Barbadians to take action against the larger threats to our present and future heart health. I encourage us to do so by taking personal steps to change our immediate surroundings. Consider increasing our physical activity in the office or reducing the amount of added salt in our diet. Set examples for future hearts by having water instead of sugar-sweetened beverages, and in a reusable bottle, in order to reduce planet waste. Insist, from our governments, that the environment of the most vulnerable citizens be protected; petition for healthier schools and day-cares.
The Heart and Stroke Foundation of Barbados will continue to beat stronger in a relentless fight to ensure that the thoughts and dreams of all Barbadian hearts are safeguarded in a rapidly changing environment! The future is impatiently waiting. From my heart to yours, Happy World Heart Day 2019!
