A Sad Record for Dominica

Dominica has the highest obesity prevalence in EC – Reports

Dominica has the highest obesity prevalence in the Eastern Caribbean reports from the World Bank are showing.
More details in this article from Dominica News Online: OBESITY

Reality Check: Things might not be as sad as this article indicates.
A report which provides an analysis of the results of a survey conducted in several Caribbean Islands including Dominica, does not support the “highest Obesity prevelance” ascribed to Dominica
To view the report Google “Samuels TA, Fraser H.  Caribbean Wellness Day. Rev Panam Salud Publica 2010: 28(6):472-9”  See table 2 page 474.

The “highest obesity” claim is also refuted in an earlier news release quoting the National Epidemiologist (click on Read More for details)

Monday, March 28th, 2011 | Dominica News Online

Dominica does not have the highest rate of obesity in the region contrary to some reports, Epidemiologist Dr. Paul Ricketts has revealed.

Ricketts said this week the results of a survey recently conducted in countries of the region including St. Kitts, Dominica, Barbados and the British Virgin Islands (BVI) show Dominica has the lowest obesity rates.

“I think there was a statement somewhere publicly recently that said that Dominica had the highest obesity rates in the Caribbean or in the Eastern Caribbean, but this is not quite so,” he said.

The survey showed 38 percent of males and 52 percent of females in St. Kitts are obese compared to 9 percent males and 33 percent females in Dominica, according to Dr. Ricketts.

Health officials however have been telling Dominicans to pay closer attention to their health and have warned that obesity levels are increasing.

And Ricketts said though Dominica can speak of low obesity rates compared to several others in the region, health officials are not happy with the current status of obesity on the island.