Tufton urges food industry to start thinking heart

As he has been doing for the past few years, Health and Wellness Minister Dr Christopher Tufton once again used the activities around Heart Month to press the conscience of Jamaica's food industry players, renewing his call for healthier options on supermarket shelves and in corner shops across the island.

In a familiar appeal on Tuesday, Tufton challenged manufacturers, distributors and retailers to look beyond profits and consider the impact their products are having on consumers.

"I want to challenge the food industry to begin to see the benefits, whether through corporate social responsibilities, or indeed because of concerns for their children, their employees, their market place, to think more carefully about what we offer our population, especially those who have limited choice in the choices they have to make on a daily basis in terms of nutrition," he said.

Trans fats are artificially produced fats commonly found in processed and fried foods. Clinicians say trans fats flood the bloodstream with 'bad cholesterol', which in turn weaken the body's natural defences, clog arteries and leave victims at heightened risk of heart attacks and strokes.

Speaking at the Heart Foundation's Heart Month media launch on Tuesday, Tufton framed his appeal against sobering national statistics. Data from the Jamaica Health and Lifestyle Survey indicate that roughly 12,000 Jamaicans currently alive -- about 8,000 men and 4,000 women -- have experiencing heart attacks. He said this underscores how close many citizens have come to death. He said many Jamaicans have limited choice and are forced to make daily nutritional decisions within a narrow and unhealthy food environment. Despite repeated calls over the years, he conceded that the industry response has still not gone far enough.

"I don't think enough is being done on that level," the minister said.

He revealed that steps are already being taken to address harmful ingredients in the food supply.

"We have already started in conversation the elimination of trans fats in our food chain. We have got the industry to agree on a format, and myself and [Commerce] Minister Aubyn Hill are working that through with the intention to eliminate trans fats as it's a major contributor to coronary heart diseases," Tufton said.

Tufton also signalled that this renewed push fits into a wider policy drive aimed at curbing lifestyle-related illnesses. He confirmed that new alcohol policies are in the pipeline and that updated tobacco legislation is expected to be tabled in Parliament shortly.

He emphasised that cardiovascular diseases do not affect just one group of people, but noted that heart health is influenced by multiple factors, with lifestyle presenting the greatest challenge for Jamaican society.

"It's about physical activities, it's about nutrition, it's about rest, it's about how we live in our environment and how that environment influences how we live," he said.