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Stop Yuh Too Sweet!

Several students march against NCD'S (GP)

By Tonisha Rock-Yaw


Moderation!

That’s the advice founder of the Schools Against Non-Communicable Diseases Ashley Lashley believes that young people should be taught rather than preaching to them to totally cut out the consumption of sugary and sweeten beverages.

“Once we can tell our young children today that you don’t have to buy a sweet drink from school every day but drink water, exercise daily and live a healthier lifestyle, I think that is the message that we should be sending and giving to our young children now,” she said.

Lashley told The Wallpaper when she started the movement against non-communicable diseases four years ago she knew it would have been an up hill battle because students weren’t aware of such diseases and its impact.

“The schools against non-communicable diseases has a movement of over 20 school students from across Barbados from the primary, secondary and tertiary levels institutions. They all joined together to bring awareness and develop programmes for more school students to come on board for the message to spread about the impact these diseases are having on their lives.”


She added that many non-governmental organizations (NGO), community based organisations as well as Government have all since come together in this fight.


                                                         
Founder of the Schools Against Non-Communicable Diseases Ashley Lashley speaking to the students of the St.Giles Primary School. (GP)

She added: “We are not only seeing changes in schools, we are seeing changes in our government offices, families and many policies from four years ago to now have been developed. The help that we’re getting from both non-governmental organisations and Government is tremendous and I must say so many persons today are on-board in the fight against non-communicable diseases primarily childhood obesity and it must be commended at all levels.”

One such NGO is the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Barbados. Last year they undertook a programme called “Stop Yuh Too Sweet” which was aimed at sensitising school children about the usage of sweetened and carbonated beverages.

Ashley noted six model schools have remained committed to the mandate of the programme.

“So far six model schools have banned the sale and consumption of soft drinks on their school compound. They have also cut the level of fatty foods that are being sold in those schools so many persons are coming on-board to help decrease the number of persons in Barbados especially children living with non-communicable diseases has been improved and we’re seeing results,” she added.



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