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Obesity and Related Conditions Impacting Negatively on Caribbean Nationals

May 31, 2005

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A report submitted to Cabinet has identified obesity and its related conditions as the leading cause of death and poor health among Caribbean nationals.
This was noted by Minister of Information, Senator Burchell Whiteman at the weekly post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House, yesterday (May 30).
The Minister told journalists that Cabinet was furnished with a presentation detailing the risks of obesity by Chancellor of the University of the West Indies, Sir George Alleyene, who is also Chairman of the Caribbean Commission on Health and Development.
Besides the Jamaican government, the Chancellor will also be making presentations of his report to the Cabinets of other Caribbean states.
The report ranked obesity and its related conditions as the principal cause of poor health, death and loss of productivity in the Caribbean. Cancer, HIV/AIDS, and violence related conditions were identified as the other causes of death.
“There was strong recommendation [from the Commission] that health tourism should be vigorously pursued and that the Caribbean also has to take a Caribbean wide approach to dealing with obesity,” Minister Whiteman said.
He further noted that the Commission also recommended that the approach taken within the Caribbean region to reduce the spread of HIV/AIDS be strengthened and expanded.
Mr. Whiteman said another proposal made by the Commission was working towards training and exporting nurses for employment in other countries.
“There is a strong recommendation we should revisit the policy and move, as Prime Minister Patterson has said, to train more nurses so that we can supply both our own needs and the needs of the markets elsewhere,” he pointed out.

Last Updated: May 31, 2005

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