No Buy Puss Eena Bag
Dr. Andrene Chung Consultant Cardiologist, Chair Heart Foundation of Jamaica. |
I am confused by this label. |
The Winning Front of Package Labels
Deborah Chen Executive Director Heart Foundation of Jamaica |
The Heart Foundation of Jamaica wants the government to put in place, a system which will allow each consumer to be able to look at the label of a product and be able to make a decision which is right for that consumer. There should be no need for that consumer to take out a calculator and calculate how much grams of the various nutrients there are in the product in order to make a decision.
Many items that we purchase, have a significant amount of trans fats, saturated fats, added sugars and sodium/salt which can lead to obesity and which might eventually end up with us having diabetes (some call it sugar), heart disease, hypertension or high blood pressure for example. You will notice that more Jamaicans are getting fat these days and this is not the look of prosperity, but the look of trouble ahead. We call that trouble, non-communicable disease (NCDs).
Need to Reduce Intake of Too Much Unhealthy Foods
The World Health Organization and our own Ministry of Health and Wellness have been advising us to reduce the amount of unhealthy foods that we consume in order to reduce the level of obesity and NCDs. The solution to all of this is to implement a simple system to help us to make a decision quickly in terms of what we purchase to eat. The Heart Foundation of Jamaica is supporting the move to implement Front Of Package Warning Labels (FOPWL). This symbol on the front of food labels will indicate to us what is unhealthy about some foods that we are about to purchase.
Where are we?
The Caribbean, which includes our country Jamaica, has no regulation which states what nutritional facts must be indicated on the labels of food products. Consumers are therefore not benefitting from such laws at this time. However, in July 2016, CARICOM Heads of Government decided on the need to make nutritional labelling among other actions such as reducing the marketing of foods to children, mandatory.
Some Jamaican organizations have taken the lead to advocate for healthy food policies and, one such organization is the Heart Foundation of Jamaica (HFJ). There has been some achievements in terms of improving the Caribbean population health, but it seems as if some things have made a turn for the worse.
On March 30, 2021, the voting for Jamaica took place, and the majority of the stakeholder representatives I am told, voted in favour of the 'High In' Black Octagonal Model of FOPWL to be used on food packages. This 'High In Black Octagonal Model has been used by other countries such as Chile, Mexico, Peru and Uruguay. It’s a simple black octagon that shows when saturated fats, trans fats, sodium/salt and sugar are contained in high amounts in food and beverage products. (See Image 1.)
- Helping them to select healthier food options.
- Helping them to understand when a product has too much sodium/salt, sugars and unhealthy fats.
- Helping them to identify which food and beverages are the least harmful.
The Benefits
- Nutrition labelling is not mandated by law and this move would benefit consumers.
- This model is easily understood by the consumers.
- There is no need for the consumer to do any calculations of the nutrients in the product.
- There is no need to interpret the labels.
- It makes it easier for the consumer to make wise food choices which will result in lower health bills for the country. This could result in .foreign exchange savings.
- Thanks to the Heart Foundation of Jamaica for providing some of the material for this blog.
- Show your support by adding your comments below.
2 comments:
An everyday product like toothpaste and plastic bottles with water you buy should carry warning labels.Itsctimevto remove bottles made from known carcinogens like Bisphenol A.How about toothpaste containing Flouride and Sodium Laureathe that allows soapiness in soaps,body wash etc.
I support healthy hi e made meals.
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