食源性膳食指南

Food-based dietary guidelines - Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Official name

Food Based Dietary Guidelines of St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Publication year

The first official FBDGs were launched in 2006. A revised and updated version of the dietary guidelines was published in 2021. The dietary guidelines are expected to be revised in 2027. 

Stakeholder involvement

The revision and update of the dietary guidelines was led by the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment, the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Agriculture. Other stakeholders involved in the process came from the Ministries of National Mobilization, Trade, Economic Planning and Sports, and from civil society and faith-based organizations.

The guidelines were endorsed by the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment and the Ministry of Agriculture.

Products, Resources and Target audiences

Products

Target audience

Situation Analysis

General Population, Policy Makers

Technical Document

General Population

FBDG Messages

Healthy population 2 years and older

Facilitators Guide

Educators, Teachers, Health workers

Text Blasts

General Population

FBDG Video

General Population, Health workers

FBDG jingle

General Population

FBDG Comic Book

School aged children

FBDG Activity Book

Grade 3 students but not limited to this group

FBDG Coloring Book

Preschool and Grade K students

FBDG Tri-fold brochure

General Population, Health workers

FBDG poster for adults

Adult population, Health workers

FBDG poster for children

Children two years and older, Health workers

Revised ‘Fats and Oils’ poster

General Population, Educators, Health workers

Revised ‘Food from Animals’ poster

General Population, Educators, Health workers

Development process

The Dietary Guidelines address the increasing trend of overweight and obesity, the high dependency on food importation despite the country’s ability to produce food domestically, and the overconsumption of highly processed foods and poor food choices. The objective of the Dietary Guidelines is to establish a basis for public food and nutrition, health and agricultural policies along with nutrition education programmes to foster healthy eating habits and lifestyles.

The process of revision and update began in 2014 and concluded in 2021, the same year in which they were launched.

Implementation

There is no official FBDGs implementation plan. However, an implementation plan is being developed by the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment. The main objectives and strategies of the plan are to train 25 health workers, 25 community workers, 25 agriculture extension workers and 25 teachers and members of the public sector, including Ministries of Agriculture and Education, and NGOs.

Evaluation

There is no official monitoring and evaluation plan for the FBDGs.

Food guide

There are two food guides available; the children’s guide in the form of a plate and the adult’s guide, which is the cross section of a breadfruit. A glass of water is at the centre of both food guides to highlight it as the beverage of choice for hydration. The food groups represented are:

  • Vegetables
  • Fruits
  • Staples
  • Legumes and Nuts
  • Food from Animals
  • Fats and oils

The dietary guidelines recommend that roughly half of your plate (50%) should consist of vegetables and fruits. The remaining 50% should be divided into roughly 20% from staples, 15% from animal source food and 15% from legumes and nuts and less than 1% from fats and oils.

Underneath the circle and the breadfruit, the food guides also contain images to promote local food production, cooking and enjoying meals with others and engaging in physical activities. Finally, the food guides also highlight foods to avoid, that is highly processed foods and snacks that are high in fats, sugars, and salt.

Messages

  1. Enjoy a variety of natural foods from each food group daily.
  2. Include local fruits and vegetables in every meal.
  3. Choose steaming, boiling, and baking as healthier methods to cook.
  4. Be Safe! Prepare, cook and store foods safely.
  5. Avoid highly processed foods and snacks; they are high in fats, sugars and salt.
  6. Water is essential! Drink at least 8 glasses daily instead of sugary drinks.
  7. Get Moving! Enjoy 30 minutes or more of physical activities daily.
  8. Practice growing and eating local foods.
  9. If you use alcohol, do so sparingly.

All messages are for the healthy individuals 2 years and up.

Message #9 is not recommended for children under 18 years.

Sustainability

Cultural 

  • Message #2 – The aim is to encourage the population to consume local foods while supporting local farmers at the same time.

Economic            

  • Message #2 – Support for local farmers.
  • Message # 5 – By avoiding the importation of highly processed foods, we can reduce spending. Spending that can be used as incentives for farmers to increase the production of local foods.

Economic and Environmental

  • Message # 8 – The practice growing our own foods will allow for accessibility, availability and affordability.  Proper farming practices will also protect the environment.