With an estimated 42% of Barbadian youth now classified as overweight or obese, the Heart & Stroke Foundation of Barbados (HSFB) has launched a new national public awareness campaign to shield school environments from pervasive junk food advertising. Launched on June 10, 2026, the four-week initiative is titled, “Enough. If it harms our children’s health, it must be regulated”.
While the 2023 Barbados School Nutrition Policy successfully eliminated the physical availability of ultra-processed products in schools, food and beverage companies are bypassing these rules by heavily targeting children with marketing in and around educational spaces. These persuasive strategies—which include giveaways, corporate sponsorships, and branded school equipment—are highly effective at shaping long-term taste preferences and purchase requests before children even learn to read.
Greta Yearwood, CEO of the HSFB, highlighted the severity of this advertising loophole. “Our children are growing up in an obesogenic environment surrounded by energy-dense, nutrient-poor ultra-processed foods that are cheap and heavily promoted,” she stated. “Junk food marketing targets children because it works. Although restrictions on marketing are outlined within the School Nutrition Policy, corporate branding continues to surround our children in the spaces meant for their education and development”.
The campaign comes at a critical time for public health. Childhood obesity significantly elevates the risk of developing life-threatening non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in adulthood, including Type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure. Globally, the situation is mirroring local trends; according to UNICEF’s Child Nutrition Report, obesity has overtaken being underweight as the primary form of malnutrition among school-aged children worldwide.
To advocate for stronger regulations and more supportive environments, the “Enough” campaign is rolling out evidence-based video testimonials from youth advocates, alongside professionals in medicine, law, and nutrition. The initiative builds upon the foundation laid by previous HSFB campaigns, such as “Protect Us,” “Give Us Warning Labels,” and “Out Of Our Schools”.
A broad coalition of health organizations is backing the effort, including the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), UNICEF, the Healthy Caribbean Coalition, the Caribbean Institute for Health Research (CAIHR), and the Barbados Childhood Obesity Prevention Coalition.
The campaign will run until July 7, 2026, and is being broadcast across digital platforms, television, and radio. Members of the public are encouraged to support the push for healthier school environments by following @hsfbarbados on Facebook and Instagram and engaging with the hashtags #StopUnhealthyMarketing, #Enough, #ProtectOurChildren, and #HealthySchools