Confronting Caribbean Obesity With Healing And Hope

By Suzette A. Henry

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Weds. June 25, 2025: Along the sun-kissed shores of the Eastern Caribbean, a silent epidemic is growing. It threatens the future of our youth and the strength of our communities. Obesity, particularly among adolescents, has surged at alarming rates. Nevis, a small but vibrant island, now bears the unfortunate distinction of having the highest per capita adolescent obesity rate in the region. According to the World Health Organization, (WHO, 2023), nearly one in three Caribbean adolescents is either overweight or obese, with Nevis reaching over 35 percent. This is a public health emergency unfolding in plain sight.

As I have journeyed across Jamaica, Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Montserrat, Guyana, and the twin-island federation of Saint Kitts and Nevis, my heart has been both refreshed by our cultural richness and heavy with concern. Vending stalls overflow with sugary drinks and ultra-processed snacks. Schoolyards once alive with play now show signs of inactivity. The data confirms what the eye cannot ignore. A 2022 Pan American Health Organization, (PAHO) study revealed that more than 60 percent of Caribbean adults are overweight or obese, many from as early as adolescence. This trend increases the risk for type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, infertility, and even early death.

A broader regional snapshot further underscores the scale of this health crisis. Based on a 2019 PAHO comparative analysis, WHO Global Health Observatory data (2022), and Caribbean Public Health Agency, (CARPHA) reports, adult obesity prevalence in the Eastern Caribbean remains among the highest worldwide:
• Saint Kitts and Nevis: 45.6%
• Antigua and Barbuda: 33.3%
• Barbados: 38.0%
• Jamaica: 33.8%
• Dominica: 31.3%
• Saint Lucia: 33.5%
• Saint Vincent & the Grenadines: 33.2%

While the general Caribbean average is around 25%, several Eastern Caribbean nations now exceed 30%, and in the case of Saint Kitts and Nevis, nearly 46%. Antigua and Barbuda’s prevalence of 33.3% places it in step with this concerning regional trend.

In Saint Kitts and Nevis specifically, the Global Nutrition Report 2025 reveals that 33.6% of adult women and 18.1% of adult men are living with obesity – higher than the regional average for women (30.7%) and slightly below for men (22.8%). According to the World Health Organization’s Global Health Observatory, approximately 23.1% of adults in Saint Kitts and Nevis have obesity (BMI ≥ 30, age-standardized), confirming a national burden in line with regional trends. Alarmingly, diabetes is estimated to affect 19.3% of adult women and 15.3% of adult men. Despite the growing burden of non-communicable diseases, there is still inadequate data on obesity prevalence among children under five, and no clear sign the nation is reversing these trends.

What is driving this growing health crisis? It is not only the food but the full plate of modern life. Our diets have shifted from vibrant local produce to heavily processed imports. Physical activity has declined, replaced by screen time and sedentary habits. Aggressive marketing of unhealthy products to children and economic barriers to healthy eating further compound the problem. In Nevis, the shift from farm-fresh ground provisions to convenient processed foods, combined with the loss of active communal living, paints a picture of lifestyle disconnection and cultural drift.

Yet the roots of our healing are still present in our soil, our traditions, and our kitchens. Alternative and integrative approaches, rooted in Caribbean heritage, offer hope. Herbal remedies like moringa for metabolism, neem for blood sugar regulation, cerasee for detoxification, and turmeric for inflammation have long been used in our communities. When paired with plant-based diets rich in callaloo, breadfruit, sweet potatoes, and guava, these natural interventions can significantly improve health outcomes. A clinical trial in Barbados by Best et al. (2020) demonstrated that culturally tailored lifestyle interventions led to measurable weight loss and improved insulin sensitivity within just six months. Healing does not always come in a capsule; it often comes in a calabash.

Medically appropriate strategies must support these lifestyle shifts. School-based screening and early intervention programs, community nutrition education, regular BMI tracking, and multidisciplinary wellness clinics should be prioritized. Pediatricians, dietitians, behavioral therapists, and exercise coaches must work together with families to support sustainable change. For young people already facing obesity, early referrals and ongoing support are critical. The earlier the intervention, the greater the chance of recovery and resilience.

The cost of inaction is far too great. Obesity burdens our healthcare systems, weakens our workforce, and shortens life expectancy. It disrupts families, fuels absenteeism in schools, and contributes to emotional distress and mental health challenges among our youth. A 2021 CARPHA report linked adolescent obesity to increased depression, social isolation, and early-onset non-communicable diseases. If left unchecked, this crisis will not only shorten lives but diminish the Caribbean’s collective future.

We do not need a temporary fix. We need a movement. A movement of parents who cook from the garden, teachers who inspire active learning, churches that preach wholeness, and leaders who legislate for health equity. We must return to homegrown habits, traditional knowledge, and faith-fueled purpose. The Caribbean’s healing lies not in imported pills but in the power of our people to reclaim their health, their heritage, and their hope. Acting now, with courage and compassion, to ensure our children carry dreams and not disease is a high priority.

EDITOR’S NOTE: Dr. Suzette A. Henry, MBA, MD, PhD, is a physician, public health advocate, and long-term health executive with over 27 years of experience in clinical care, education, and leadership. She holds degrees in nursing, biomedical sciences, business administration, and medicine from SUNY Downstate, Kaplan University, and the University of Science, Arts, and Technology.