Major Nutrition and Health Problems of the English-Speaking Caribbean Countries
1983
BILLIE A. MILLER, THE HONORABLE
A speech by the Barbadian Minister of Education presented at the 7th Western Hemisphere Nutrition Conference is reprinted. Discussed are major nutrition health problems of the English-speaking Caribbean. These major problems are identified by health and nutrition surveys, food availability and consumption data and household food consumption surveys. Eventually this data will help establish rational national food and nutrition policies. The food gap has been found to be a more pressing problem than the protein gap, especially as far as children are concerned. The number of low birth weight infants born of mothers with poor nutritional status is high. Breastfeeding is on the decline. Nutrition intervention programs have made progress toward ameliorating severe malnutrition to moderate malnutrition. Anemia is also a problem and primarily caused by lack of iron and folate. Lack of subcutaneous fat in adult males may cause low energy reserves. Conversely, obesity has reached epidemic proportions among adults and more than 1/2 the women over 40 are obese. Urbanization and industrialization are part of the reason as well as changes in employment patterns. The health risks associated with obesity are discussed. Dietary energy and protein intake is low in about 1/2 of the housewives and large families are more severely affected than small. Most dietary energy supplies must be imported. For the future, diseases of affluence appear to be more of a problem than diseases of poverty. Nutrition intervention programs have been successful and survivors of malnutrition are now posing disciplinary and behavioral problems in school because of their lower I.Q. levels. Suggestions are given to combat these problems. (kbc)
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