Jamaica is considering a ban on industrially produced trans fats and stronger controls on unhealthy food and drinks after testing found the fats in 39% of sampled products.
Jamaica is weighing stronger legal and regulatory action to reduce unhealthy eating, including a possible ban on trans fats in food, as officials intensify efforts to address heart disease and other non-communicable illnesses. Health Minister Christopher Tufton said the country needs a more forceful strategy than public education alone, arguing that decades of health promotion have not changed behaviour quickly enough.
Speaking at the launch of the National Health Fund’s Double Subsidy for Persons Living with Disabilities, Tufton said the government is preparing a submission to Cabinet that could include restrictions on trans-fatty acids, along with wider measures such as clearer front-of-pack labels, the School Nutrition Policy and steps to shield children from sugary drinks. He said many consumers do not study ingredient lists closely enough to understand what they are buying.
Tufton also pointed to alcohol and energy drinks as part of a wider pattern of risk that, in his view, is contributing to cardiovascular disease. He said the state must be prepared to act decisively, even when the products in question remain legal and widely available in shops and fast-food outlets.
The latest comments build on work already under way. Jamaica’s health ministry said in 2022 that it had begun moving towards removing industrially produced trans fats from the local food supply, including strengthening laboratory capacity and developing regulatory policy. By February 2023, Tufton said consultations with the food industry were progressing and a joint stakeholder committee had been formed to plan a phase-out over the following years.
That push followed earlier testing that raised concerns about how common trans fats remain in the food chain. A 2021 assessment by the University of Technology, carried out with the health ministry, found trans fats in 39% of 296 food samples examined. The findings were cited as evidence for clearer labelling, a point the ministry has echoed in its dietary guidance, which urges people aged two and above to cut back on sugary, salty and highly processed foods while eating a more balanced diet.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
