A multidisciplinary initiative to combat childhood obesity in the Caribbean
Background:
Patient value is defined as an improved sense of well-being, the experience of easy access to the cycle of care, and reduced healthcare costs by preventing non-communicable diseases. The lifestyle situation in Aruba is alarming. In 2010, the Health Monitor Aruba revealed that 25.6% of girls and 17.8% of boys aged 4-5 years were overweight or obese. Among children ages 10-11 years old, 43% of girls and 42.4% of boys were overweight
or obese (Ministry of Public Health and Sport, 2013). Shockingly, in 2020, almost 50% of children younger than 10 years were overweight or obese in Aruba (National NCD MAP Aruba, 2020). These data underscored a pressing need for action!