Nearly half of children overweight or obese

Minister of Education Transformation Chad Blackman has described the rising rate of childhood obesity in Barbados as “scary and staggering”, with just shy of half of the country’s children now overweight or obese.

The proportion rose from 31 per cent in 2017 to 42 per cent in 2026, prompting concern from Blackman, who said academic and infrastructural achievements alone would not sustain national development if underlying health challenges were ignored. 

Speaking at the media launch of the Barbados School Nutrition Policy Recognition Awards at the Ministry’s conference room on Wednesday, Blackman said health and wellness must be a priority alongside modern educational transformations.

Addressing the cultural roots of dietary habits in Barbados, he spoke about the personal realisation that prompted his own weight loss journey.

Minister of Education Transformation Chad Blackman

“I can’t be saying to the nation in one direction that we have an obesity issue. I was obese. That’s a fact,” he said.

“It’s about saying to a nation, if we want to continue to develop for our people and to give Barbados the best chance of being competitive and to be a world leader in so many, many areas, we have to ensure that our young people, our children have the right framework,” the Education Minister said.

While welcoming support from corporate Barbados, Blackman called for clear limits on corporate influence in schools.

He urged companies to keep branding for ultra-processed foods away from students.

“You really ought not to be courting or trying to have activities that go against the policy. You may not be giving goods that the child will consume there and then in school, but your branding, whether it’s a pencil case or a sharpener or whatever, sends a message through psychological means and visuals that is completely opposite to what we want.”

The minister also called for a collective national effort to safeguard the health of future generations, and urged individuals, households and communities to embrace a change in mindset and culture. 

(RR)