Experts to hold unhealthy food, obesity forum

Public-health experts will on January 11 stage a forum to discuss the role that sugary drinks and unhealthy food play in obesity.

The Government's decision to impose a ban on sugary drinks in schools has triggered national debate on the issue.

While diet and its contribution to the obesity epidemic is a complex issue, public-health experts are expected to outline the scientific evidence linking the contribution of excess salt, sugars, fats, and ultra-processed foods to their impact on weight management and obesity, which increases the risk of developing chronic diseases.

Dr Frank Hu, from the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health and Harvard Medical School, will deliver the main address while Dr Lisa Powell, from the University of Illinois in Chicago, will be a featured speaker.

Panel discussion

The forum will also include a panel discussion made up of Jamaican and international experts, including representatives from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), The University of West Indies (UWI), the Caribbean Institute for Health Research, and the University of Technology, who will discuss causes of obesity and how fiscal policies have been effective in promoting healthy behavioural changes.

The forum is being co-sponsored by the Heart Foundation of Jamaica and PAHO in partnership with the Ministry of Health, the Association of Consultant Physicians of Jamaica, the Caribbean Institute for Health Research (UWI), and Jamaica Moves.

Dr Hu's research has focused on the role that diet and lifestyle, metabolic factors, and genetics play in obesity, type-2 diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. These findings have contributed to public-health recommendations and policies for the prevention of chronic diseases.