Nearly half of children overweight or obese

Minister of Education Transformation Chad Blackman has described the rising rate of childhood obesity in Barbados as “scary and staggering”, with just shy of half of the country’s children now overweight or obese.

The proportion rose from 31 per cent in 2017 to 42 per cent in 2026, prompting concern from Blackman, who said academic and infrastructural achievements alone would not sustain national development if underlying health challenges were ignored.

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Speaking at the media launch of the Barbados School Nutrition Policy Recognition Awards at the Ministry’s conference room on Wednesday, Blackman said health and wellness must be a priority alongside modern educational transformations.