With Barbados’ childhood obesity rate rising to 42 per cent from 33 per cent, advocates and officials are raising an alarm and calling for a restriction on unhealthy foods and drinks across all schools in Barbados.

Executive director of the Healthy Caribbean Coalition, Maisha Hutton, said the situation required urgent action as the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Barbados launched a mass media campaign titled Enough. If it harms our children’s health, it must be regulated.

“Enough is a powerful word,” Hutton said. “It is a word we say when we have watched a problem grow for far too long. When we have gathered enough data, heard enough stories, visited enough doctors, and buried enough of our people. It is a word we say when we are ready to act. And today that word becomes a rallying cry for our children.”