Julia Rowe Porter, epidemiologist with the Ministry of Health, says with the country battling to reduce the prevalence of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), it is just a matter of time before consumers get additional help in making healthy food choices through the introduction of front-of-package labelling (FOPL).
Non-communicable diseases — ailments that are not transferable by contact but developed through family genetics, degenerative changes, or unhealthy lifestyle habits — are the leading cause of death, with statistics indicating that an estimated seven out of 10 Jamaicans died from the four major NCDs — cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes and chronic lower respiratory disease — in 2018. FOPL is one solution being scouted by health officials and industry players as it indicates that an item may contain excessive amounts of sugars, total fats, saturated fats, trans fats, and sodium.