The Barbados National NCD Commission unreservedly supports the urgent call for the introduction of the Octagonal “high-in” front-of-package warning labels to be placed on pre-packaged food and beverage products. The octagonal warning label (OWL) is the best label for Barbados and the Caribbean.
Global and regional scientific evidence, conducted by researchers free from conflicts of interest, supports the OWL as the best option to empower consumers to correctly, quickly and easily identify foods high in sugars, sodium and fats. The OWL has consistently outperformed other front-of-package nutrition labels such as the magnifying glass, the traffic lights and the facts upfront. Research just released shows that the OWL has the potential to avert 16 per cent of the deaths caused by diet-related non-communicable diseases (NCDs).
The support of the Barbados National NCD Commission comes against a backdrop of an epidemic of obesity and NCDs across our region and in Barbados.
80% of deaths in Barbados are caused by NCDs and 76% of premature deaths are caused by this group of diseases.
31% of our children are overweight or obese.
66% of adults are overweight and 33% are obese.
1 in 5 adult Barbadians has diabetes.
We can no longer afford to ignore these dangerous trends affecting the health and well-being of the citizens of this country. We must become more conscious of ensuring the health and wellness of every one of us is taken seriously.
An unhealthy diet dominated by ultra-processed products high in sugars, sodium and fats is the single greatest risk factor for overweight, obesity and NCDs. Overconsumption of these foods drastically increases the risk of developing hypertension, obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease and some types of cancer.
Consumers make purchasing decisions in a matter of seconds, and it takes far too much time to understand the nutrition facts panel on the back of packaged products. Especially now, we need octagonal warning labels on the front of our food packages to easily identify food that has excess levels of key nutrients – especially for people who are living with NCDs such as diabetes, hypertension and cancer.
As the labels are now, it is very unlikely that most shoppers read food labels as they are often confusing and misleading. Having the octagonal “high-in” front-of-package labelling prominently displayed and easily readable will allow the consumer to make informed choices. This type of labelling is hard to ignore.
The health implications and the costs to fight NCDs and other diseases far outweigh the costs to manufacturers in implementing changes to their labels. We have over the years heard the cries from Ministries of Health across the region of the burgeoning costs of healthcare and the billions spent annually dealing with increasing cases of NCDs among our vulnerable population. The introduction of policies such as OWL can save the Government in excess of a billion Barbados dollars as predicted by the aforementioned study.
The octagonal warning label, recommended by PAHO/WHO and CARPHA, is a foundational and enabling policy which forms part of a comprehensive package of evidence-based policy actions aimed at creating healthy food environments in which healthy food is accessible, affordable, attractive, and widely available to all citizens regardless of socio-economic status. The OWL complements the recently introduced Barbados National School Nutrition Policy by providing the information needed to allow school administrators to readily identify foods which should be permitted in school settings.
Right now, CARICOM countries including Barbados, are voting on whether or not to approve a regional standard for the labelling of prepackaged foods which contains the octagonal warning label. Our Commission commends the Barbados Government as one of the governments in our region to vote yes for the Front-of-Package Warning Labels Octagonal System in 2021. As CARICOM continues to review this process, we want our collective voices to be heard and to resonate across the Caribbean in support of front-of-package warning labels.
Silence is no longer an option. Inaction cannot be the solution.
There is a clear and present danger to the health and well-being of our citizens from the onslaught of unhealthy foods and beverages.
Suleiman Bulbulia STE JP
Chairman
