Jamaica will become a fat and lazy nation with a gigantic non-communicable chronic disease bill, if food security is not achieved in the midst of rising food costs in the world market, says Dr Ballayram, food economist at the Caribbean Food and Nutrition Institute (CFNI) at the University of the West Indies, Mona.

Ballayram told The Gleaner yesterday that food accessibility is compromised as about 15 per cent of Jamaicans cannot meet food and other living needs. In addition, seven per cent of these persons are indigent and unable to find food on a daily basis.

Below goals

"We are way below what the population-required goals are for foods such as fruits and vegetables," said Ballayram. "If this is not changed, we will get fat and lazy. People will just eat what they can afford such as chicken back and so on."

According to a report from the Jamaica Information Service, the Ministry of Health and Environment says a quarter of teenagers are overweight. The Medical Association of Jamaica has reported that more than 30 per cent of Jamaican women are obese.

Ballayram said that, with regard to food security, the Government has short-changed the nation by not educating the people about the consumption and utilisation of fruits, vegetables, cereals and grains.

The Government is expected to make an announcement this week on the implementation of food items within the common external tariff (CET). Nutritionists are hoping that cereals, fruits and vegetables will be included.

Inadequate basket

Dr Heather Little-White, food and nutrition consultant, chastised the government for not providing protein-based food in its price support programme (subsidy) that was implemented in January.

The basket of food items, that was a part of a $500-million assistance programme aimed at addressing spiralling food costs, included counter flour, white rice, whole milk powder and bulk oil.

"The basket of groceries does not provide the required nutrients for a Jamaican family below the poverty line," said Little-White.

Vanessa White, dietetics, nutrition and child care and development director at the University of Technology, made similar arguments.

"The basket looks inadequate with respect to meeting protein and fibre needs," said White. "I would also recommend adding cornmeal, sugar and chicken."