Sleep deprivation can result in a number of harmful effects on individuals over prolonged periods of time. These can range from depression and attention deficit disorders to increased blood pressure and weight gain. To highlight the key factors that contribute to sleep apnea as well as the likely effects on the body and possible remedies, the Jamaica Midlife Health Society...

Health Minister, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, has hailed the generosity of Florida-based Jamaicans, Eric and Dr. Hyacinth Hue, for their donation of a two-storey building, valued at $40 million, which will house a clinic. The facility, located in Tweedside, Clarendon, will offer antenatal, dressing, child health, curative (general) and family planning, among other services. It is equipped with blood...

Residents of Enfield, St. Mary, have welcomed the adoption of their community’s health centre by the Jamaica 55 Charities Group in the United Kingdom (UK), under the Government’s Adopt-A-Clinic initiative. The organisation, comprising members of the Jamaican diaspora community in the UK, has provided $1 million to assist with improvements at the clinic in response to the Administration’s invitation for...

The health dangers of too much added sugar in the diet was among matters discussed at the Food and Agriculture Organization’s (FAO) Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean, held recently in Montego Bay. According to conference officials, consuming an excessive amount of sugar continues to be a major health issue throughout the region and is a major contributor...

More persons are now aware of the negative consequences of a diet consisting of high levels of salt and have taken steps to reduce the amount they add to their daily meals during cooking, and at the table. As the country observes March 12 to 18 as Salt Awareness Week, the Heart Foundation of Jamaica is appealing to persons to...

Minister of Health, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton, is calling for parents to get their children to drink more water as part of the fight against non-communicable diseases (NCDs). He said there is a culture in schools, where if a student does not consume branded drinks or juices, then they are considered to be of the lower class. It is...

Jamaicans will strongly support action on the part of Government to combat obesity, including imposing a tax on sugary drinks. This is according to the findings of a National Obesity Prevention Public Opinion Survey commissioned by the Heart Foundation of Jamaica and Vital Strategies, which was launched at the Spanish Court Hotel on March 7. “Based on the findings of...