2 weeks ago
18
Education Minister Michael Dowlath. - Education Minister Dr Michael Dowlath and Health Minister Dr Lackram Bodoe have declared war on what they describe as “the silent pandemic” of childhood obesity, during the launch of new school nutrition standards policy.
Speaking at the Ministry of Education, Port of Spain on January 9, both ministers framed the new policy as a critical education intervention aimed at improving classroom performance while safeguarding the long-term health of the nation’s children.
The collaborative initiative seeks to transform the school food environment into a foundation for lifelong wellness.
Building on the 2017 ban on sugary drinks, introduced by the former PNM administration, the new policy will be rolled out in phases beginning this year.
It will eventually mandate a five-point nutritional check-list for all snacks and meals sold on school grounds, including the complete exclusion of energy drinks and artificial sweeteners. The move aims to shift from treating illness to preventing it.
Bodoe painted a stark picture of the country’s health trajectory, warning that thousands of children are carrying more than just the weight of their school bags. He said nearly one in three children in the region is overweight or obese, a trend closely linked to non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, cancer and heart disease.
If the current path continues, he warned, it would be impossible to build enough hospitals to manage the consequences in the next 20 years.
Dowlath emphasised that nutrition and learning are inseparable, noting diets high in sugar, salt, and ultra-processed foods are scientifically linked to reduced attention spans, volatile sugar spikes, and increased absenteeism.
Minister of Health Dr Lackram Bodoe. -
By making healthy choices the default in schools, he said the government aims to improve concentration and ensure the learning environment no longer contributes to the very health crisis the state is trying to solve.
He stressed the policy is not extreme but responsible, adhering to a 2,000-calorie daily standard while allowing for cultural adaptation. Dowlath was clear that energy drinks have no place in schools.
Implementation will occur across four phases to ease the transition for administrators, parents, and vendors. The first phase, scheduled for the second and third terms of the academic year, will focus on distributing curriculum memoranda, sample menus, and training materials. This will be followed by pilot implementation in select school clusters, along with monitoring and vendor training.
Full mandatory implementation across all government and government-assisted schools is slated for the first term of the following academic year, accompanied by the publication of an approved snack list. Expansion to private schools is expected by the second term, ensuring uniform standards nationwide. Continuous data collection will guide ongoing improvements.
Highly processed foods marketed to children, Dowlath said, must be replaced with balanced meals featuring whole grains, lean proteins, fruits, and vegetables. All pre-packaged snacks sold on school grounds must pass the five-point check-list: failure on any single criterion, such as excessive sugar or sodium, will result in prohibition.
The standards also apply to foods prepared on-site, including pastries and muffins. A new cap limits deep-fried foods to a maximum of six servings per week across all meal times.
The ministry said these measures align with recommendations from the Pan American Health Organization and the World Health Organization. Similar policies in Chile and the US, officials said, have resulted in reduced sugar consumption and lower obesity rates among students.
Addressing food vendors, Dowlath acknowledged the adjustments required but maintained healthy food can be appealing, affordable, and culturally relevant. He assured school leaders they would not shoulder the burden alone, with the ministry committing to compliance tools, vendor engagement frameworks, and communication materials for parents.
Dowlath also appealed to parents and guardians, clarifying while the state will not dictate what happens at home, it has a duty to ensure schools do not undermine children’s health.
Bodoe described the launch as a “good day” for the country, praising the Ministry of Education’s commitment to prevention and equity as he also noted the 2017 sugary drink ban, saying it laid a strong foundation for the expanded policy.
Reiterating what happens inside school gates has lifelong consequences, Bodoe said, and transforming daily school meals is key to reshaping the nation’s future workforce.
He concluded by urging stakeholders to see the policy not as a restriction of choice, but as an expansion of every child’s right to a healthy life.
English (US) ·