Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. May 4, 2026. The Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) in collaboration with the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), officially launched the Technical Recommendations for the Development of Nutrition Standards for Caribbean Schools on April 14th, 2026. Under the theme “Guiding National Nutrition Policies and Guidelines in Caribbean Schools and Early Childhood Services”, this webinar presented the technical guidelines for national nutrition standards for all foods provided and sold in schools and early childhood services throughout the Region.
The Caribbean region is one of the worst impacted by overweight and obesity, affecting every one in three Caribbean children according to the Healthy Caribbean Coalition (HCC). Overweight and obesity are leading risk factors for non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which have been the leading cause of death and disability for over a decade. Unhealthy diets (high in fats, sugar and salt/sodium, and highly processed) are considered among the leading cause of overweight and obesity.
In 2025, CARPHA and PAHO/WHO jointly developed the Technical Recommendations for the Development of Nutrition Standards for Caribbean Schools with the aim of creating health-promoting environments in schools, thereby reducing the consumption and availability of unhealthy foods and beverages. The Technical Recommendations apply to all foods and beverages (cooked/ready to serve and packaged) in schools, whether sold or offered free of charge.
Recognising the timely launch of these guidelines Dr. Lisa Indar, CARPHA Executive Director shared that, “Childhood overweight and obesity remain one of the Region’s most urgent public health challenges. Schools must be safe spaces that promote healthy eating and lifelong wellness. Through CARPHA’s collaboration with PAHO/WHO, these Technical Recommendations for Nutrition Standards for Caribbean Schools provide Member States with practical guidance to create healthier school food environments and protect the health of our children”.
Ms. Piedad Huerta, acting Head of Country and Subregional Coordination and Subregional Program Director for the Caribbean at PAHO/WHO, reinforced the importance of evidence-based standards and regional collaboration. “PAHO is proud to partner with CARPHA in developing the Technical Recommendations for Nutrition Standards in Caribbean Schools. Building on the foundation of the PAHO Nutrient Profile Model, the document we are launching today is a practical tool. It is designed to help every country in our region develop specific, enforceable standards that transform the school food environments from a risk factor into a protective shield”.
During her opening remarks, Dr. Heather Armstrong, Head, Chronic Diseases and Injury Department, CARPHA also added, “Today's launch reflects a shared recognition that improving child nutrition is not optional, it is essential. It is important to safeguard health across the life course, from enhancing educational outcomes, and of course, securing the social and economic resilience of our countries”.
The development of these guidelines will contribute to ending all forms of malnutrition by 2030, further to the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) 2.2 and reducing the prevalence of NCDs and obesity by 30% by 2030 (SDG 3.4) in the Region.
This virtual event brought together 197 policymakers, nutrition and dietetic professionals, educators, civil society representatives, school administrators, parents, and food providers from across the Caribbean to advance action toward healthier school food environments and stronger national nutrition standards. Attendees represented twenty-three (23) CARPHA Member States (CMS): Anguilla, Antigua and Barbuda, Aruba, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, Cayman Islands, Curaçao, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, Trinidad and Tobago, Turks and Caicos Islands and Virgin Islands (British). Non-CMS also in attendance were Canada, Mexico, Netherlands, Spain and the United States.
CARPHA and PAHO/WHO continue to encourage all Member States and stakeholders involved in school food provision to fully adopt and implement these recommendations as part of a comprehensive regional response to childhood obesity and NCD prevention.
To read more on the Technical Recommendations for the Development of Nutrition Standards for Caribbean Schools, visit the CARPHA’s website here.
Photo Captions:
Photo Caption: Screen capture of the featured panelists during the joint launch of the Technical Recommendations for the Development of Nutrition Standards for Caribbean Schools webinar.
– END –