As the government tries to improve the health profile of Jamaica, the Health Minister says discussions regarding front of package labeling will continue this year. The Minister recently warned that the country has an alarming sick profile that is getting worse with a large percentage of citizens having a non-communicable disease leading to escalating health care costs.
The discussions around the consumer’s right to know what their food contains will continue this year with greater advocacy around finding a simple and consistent way to read labels and know the amount of sodium, sugars and fats present.
This according to Health Minister, Dr. Christopher Tufton data from the ministry indicates that over 236 000 Jamaicans have diabetes, with a 42 per cent increase in the prevalence of the disease over the last 17 to 18 years. More than 684 000 citizens have hypertension and another 688 800 have pre-hypertension. Over 577 thousand are obese. Dr. Tufton is urging manufacturers and food distributors to join the fight against the country’s sick profile and help improve the wellness of consumers.
