AGRICULTURE- TRADE- CHILDHOOD OBESITY PREVENTION Vincent J. Atkins Office of Trade Negotiations CARICOM Secretariat

AGRICULTURE- TRADE- CHILDHOOD OBESITY PREVENTION  There is an increasing amount of research on the link between the increase in the incidence of obesity and trade liberalisation.  A recent study was one undertaken by the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy (IATP) study investigating the health of the Mexican population and the country’s trade with the United States following the implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement

AGRICULTURE- TRADE- CHILDHOOD OBESITY PREVENTION  The research tracks increases of U.S. exports of various food categories including soft drinks, snacks and processed foods and measured cross border flow of raw agricultural inputs used in food processing.  The increased consumption of obesogenic foods among the Mexican population was linked to a 12 percent increase in obesity between 2000 and 2006, the period of NAFTA implementation.

AGRICULTURE- TRADE- CHILDHOOD OBESITY PREVENTION  The study concludes US exports of of energy dense foods resulting from trade liberalisation under NAFTA was an important way in which US agriculture and trade policy influences the Mexican Food system.  There has been an exponential growth in the number of trade agreements signed between and among countries, both developed and developing. Liberalisation of trade in agricultural products is a significant component of these agreements.

AGRICULTURE- TRADE- CHILDHOOD OBESITY PREVENTION  At the global level liberalisation of agricultural trade gained prominence during the Uruguay Round of Trade Negotiations which resulted in the formation of the WTO and an Agreement on Agriculture as part of the legal texts in  Further reforms leading to increased liberalisation in global trade in agricultural products has remained an important part of the trade liberalisation agenda since 2000.

AGRICULTURE- TRADE- CHILDHOOD OBESITY PREVENTION  There is conflicting views on the impact of trade liberalisation on health issues.  On one hand there is the view that trade liberalisation increases growth and development, which reduces poverty, and leads to improved health that leads to further growth.  It is also argued that trade openness leads to increased technology and knowledge transfers which in turn benefit health care.

AGRICULTURE- TRADE- CHILDHOOD OBESITY PREVENTION  A contrary view is that a positive relationship between growth and trade liberalisation is neither automatic nor universally observable. As such the link between trade liberalisation and improved health through poverty reduction is deemed weak.  It is also argued that trade liberalisation may undermine otherwise health dietary patterns.

AGRICULTURE- TRADE- CHILDHOOD OBESITY PREVENTION  Notwithstanding the debate on the impact of trade liberalisation on health, and by extension on childhood obesity, agriculture and trade policies remain very important instruments for effecting changes which can impact on the incidence of childhood obesity.  Trade liberalisation, and trade policies in general, provide opportunities for increased access to food, including ‘healthy foods’ to countries which may not have the potential to produce these foods.

AGRICULTURE- TRADE- CHILDHOOD OBESITY PREVENTION  The key is to be able to use domestic and global agriculture and trade policies in a manner which would contribute to food and nutritional security.  Trade policies which favour childhood obesity prevention or control are therefore not necessarily punitive measures. Instead, the opportunities provided by trade liberalisation to grant easier access to healthy food choices should be exploited.

AGRICULTURE- TRADE- CHILDHOOD OBESITY PREVENTION  For example, the selective use of trade measures such as import duties to serve as incentives for trade in and consumption of selected foods and as disincentives for other foods should form part of the strategy to address childhood obesity.  Similarly, domestic agricultural policies, including the selective use of subsidies to encourage the production of specific foods, to increase the availability and reduce the price of substitutes to imports of foods deemed unhealthy should be promoted.

AGRICULTURE- TRADE- CHILDHOOD OBESITY PREVENTION  Taxes on “unhealthy foods” alone may not be a sustainable or effective way to change dietary habits. Greater emphasis should be placed on incentives which would stimulate healthy eating habits among children.

AGRICULTURE- TRADE- CHILDHOOD OBESITY PREVENTION  Regional and multi-lateral trade agreements should include measures, including concessions, to promote production, trade and consumption of healthy foods.  The provisions of Trade Agreements on Technical Barriers to Trade (which deal with both the components of food products as well as the packaging and labelling of food products ) as well as SPS measures, which deal with human health and food safety, should also take account of the impact of food trade on childhood obesity.

AGRICULTURE- TRADE- CHILDHOOD OBESITY PREVENTION  The starting point for utilising agriculture and trade policies to help in the control and prevention of childhood obesity has to be at the domestic level.  It has already been argued that governments should consider population nutrition and chronic disease risk when devising and implementing agriculture and trade policies.

AGRICULTURE- TRADE- CHILDHOOD OBESITY PREVENTION  Economic and cultural considerations will influence the specific policies which governments adopt but the aim should be to adjust agricultural and trade policies to be consistent with national health and nutrition priorities and guidelines.