Multi-sectorial committee set up to address obesity |05 July 2023

A souvenir photograph of President Ramkalawan and the committee members who attended the meeting yesterday

Given the problem of obesity which is very alarming in the country, a multi-sectorial steering committee chaired by President Wavel Ramkalawan met yesterday afternoon at State House to discuss ways to address the issues.

However, not all members were present for the meeting.

Speaking to the media following the meeting, the principal nutritionist at the Health Care Agency, Stephanie Denousse, said despite efforts over the years by the Ministry of Health to address obesity and overweight among the population, the problem is still rising at a very alarming rate.

Ms Denousse explained that from a survey held last year on obesity among school children between the ages of 5 to 19 years old, 35% of girls and 30% of boys were found to be obese and overweight. In the last survey held in 2013 for adults, back at that time, 72% of women were obese and overweight while 57% of men were obese and overweight.

She said the discussion focused on ways for stakeholders in the public and private sector, including NGOs and groups in the community, to work together with the Ministry of Health in a multi-collaborative effort to address obesity and overweight at national level.

She noted that the reason for the rise in obesity and overweight is in relation to the country’s transformation and also to certain types of food being made available for the population to consume, which are not healthy.

She noted that lack of engagement in physical activities, among other factors, also contributes to obese and overweight.

She added that changes in the eating habits among children is among strategies that can help to reduce the rate of obesity in the country.

“We know that eating habits start at a very young age in children and they grow up with the habit that causes some among them to be obese and overweight. If we are able to reduce obesity among children it will enable the country to reduce its rate of obesity and overweight among the population in the long term,” said Ms Denousse.

Ms Denousse said that apart from the multi-sectorial steering committee, chaired by President Ramkalawan, whose government supports the initiative, other committees will also be formed at  different sectorial levels to help feed in to the bigger steering committee with strategies to address obesity in the country.

She noted that obesity is not a problem for the Ministry of Health only, but a national concern.

Text & photo by Patrick Joubert