In a message commemorating Caribbean Wellness Day, head of CARPHA, Dr. James Hospedales is encouraging the Region to help find a solution to childhood obesity.

According to him at least one in every five of our children is carrying unhealthy weight and is at risk of developing NCDs and other problems later in life. He said with such conditions prevalent in the Region, it was important to get and use solutions that might help with these challenges.

The CARICOM Heads of Government Summit on Chronic Diseases in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, September 2007, established Caribbean Wellness Day (CWD). The Day is observed every year on the second Saturday of September. Inaugurated in 2008, CWD is an annual event which provides an opportunity to increase the awareness of the non-communicable diseases (NCDs) burden in the Caribbean; mobilise and strengthen public, private, and civil society partnerships for NCDs; promote multi country, multisectoral activities in support of wellness; and showcase national and community level activities to promote healthy living and encourage residents to develop good health practices.

Read more of Dr. Hospedale’s message here cwd-message-carpha

See also : CARICOM Secretariat mounts display to observe Caribbean Wellness Day