The Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) is collaborating with nine countries in the Americas, including three from the Caribbean—Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and Panama—in a robust initiative to tackle the region’s alarming obesity rates.
With the Americas holding the highest prevalence of overweight and obesity globally, the urgency for immediate action is more pressing than ever.
According to PAHO, 67.5% of adults and 37.6% of children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 in the region are overweight or obese, significantly increasing the risk of noncommunicable diseases such as diabetes, heart disease, and certain cancers. Dr. Anselm Hennis, Director of the Department of Noncommunicable Diseases and Mental Health at PAHO, emphasized the gravity of the situation, stating, “These numbers are alarming, and they represent not just statistics, but millions of lives affected by chronic diseases. If we do not act decisively, preventable illnesses and premature deaths will continue to rise.”
The initiative builds on the WHO Acceleration Plan to Stop Obesity, approved at the 75th World Health Assembly in 2022, which promotes a comprehensive approach combining regulatory, fiscal, and multisectoral strategies to halt the rise of obesity. Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, and Panama, alongside Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Mexico, Peru, and Uruguay, are leading the way in implementing this plan.
Among the strategies being introduced are front-of-package warning labels to inform consumers about unhealthy food products, restrictions on the marketing of such products, and regulations governing the foods offered in schools. The initiative also promotes breastfeeding, physical activity—especially in public and school settings—and enhanced primary healthcare to manage and prevent obesity-related conditions.
Barbados, in particular, has been proactive in adopting policies aimed at improving nutrition and public health awareness. The country’s participation in this initiative is expected to further strengthen these efforts and serve as a model for other Caribbean nations. Panama is also in the final stages of developing its national plan to address childhood and adolescent obesity, following Chile’s example, which has already presented its comprehensive National Plan for the Prevention of Childhood and Adolescent Obesity.
With adult overweight and obesity rates in the Americas rising from 44.4% in 1990 to 67.5% in 2022, projections indicate that this figure could reach 73.2% by 2030 if current trends continue. The lessons learned from these nine countries during this acceleration phase are anticipated to inform the broader implementation of anti-obesity strategies across the Caribbean and the wider Americas.
PAHO’s support, which includes technical assistance, capacity-building, and intersectoral coordination, is vital to ensuring the successful execution of these measures. As the Caribbean continues to grapple with the increasing burden of noncommunicable diseases, this initiative represents a critical step toward fostering healthier communities and reducing preventable deaths in the region
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