CARICOM Secretary-General Dr. Carla Barnett is calling for greater youth empowerment as Caribbean countries confront a growing burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), warning that the health choices and conditions facing young people today will shape the future of the Region.
In her Caribbean Wellness Day 2026 message, issued under the theme “Our Mind. Our Body. Our Wellness. Empowering Caribbean Youth,” Barnett stressed that wellness extends beyond the absence of disease and requires sustained attention to mental, physical and social well-being.
“The voice of CARICOM youth matters. The choices made and actions taken by young people today will impact the future of our Region.”
Barnett said young people must be encouraged to advocate for healthier food options and safe spaces for physical activity, while governments and communities must create environments that make healthy choices achievable.
The warning comes against a stark regional health backdrop. NCDs accounted for approximately 75 per cent of all deaths in the Caribbean in 2024, according to the figures cited by the CARICOM Secretary-General.
While NCDs are often associated with older adults, Barnett said the risk factors increasingly begin during youth and are becoming visible among younger populations.
Recent regional analysis cited in her message indicates that more than half of young adults tend toward being overweight or having elevated blood pressure, 40 per cent consume excessive alcohol and 60 per cent are physically inactive.
Barnett said the figures point to a problem that cannot be solved simply by telling individuals to make better choices.
“The contributing factors are complex, but the solutions are not beyond our reach.”
She pointed to urbanisation, poverty, unemployment, declining access to healthy foods and inadequate health-supporting infrastructure as factors making healthy living more difficult, particularly for young people in vulnerable communities.
Limited access to recreational spaces, health services and opportunities for physical activity can further compound those risks, she said.
Barnett also warned against overlooking young adults in national health planning. They represent approximately one-quarter of the Caribbean population, making their inclusion in screening, prevention and health research critical to the Region’s long-term response to NCDs.
She argued that youth empowerment must therefore extend beyond individual behaviour.
“Empowering young people must go beyond encouraging change in behaviour at the individual level. It requires a whole of society approach.”
CARICOM has been working with the Caribbean Public Health Agency (CARPHA) and the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) to strengthen regional approaches to NCD surveillance, prevention and control.
Those efforts include promoting youth-friendly policies and services and involving young people as partners in designing, implementing and evaluating health responses.
Barnett’s message places particular emphasis on giving young people a voice in determining the policies and environments that affect their health.
Rather than treating youth simply as recipients of health interventions, she said they should be active participants in shaping solutions.
“Young people must be encouraged to continue to speak up for healthy food choices and safe spaces for physical activity.”
The Secretary-General said the Region’s ability to build a healthier future will depend in part on whether Caribbean societies create the conditions necessary for young people to thrive.
“With empowered and engaged youth, the Caribbean can build a healthier and stronger future.”
Caribbean Wellness Day 2026 therefore comes not simply as a reminder to individuals to exercise, eat well or protect their mental health, but as a call for governments, communities, families, schools and young people themselves to share responsibility for creating healthier Caribbean societies.
Barnett ended her message by urging the Region to use the observance as a catalyst for sustained action.
“May Caribbean Wellness Day inspire ALL to make healthy lifestyle choices every day!”
