International trade and childhood obesity: A Caribbean perspective

This chapter examines the problem of childhood obesity from a regional perspective using the experience of members of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). It explores whether CARICOM States’ regional and multilateral trade commitments constitute significant legal obstacles to regional efforts to tackle childhood obesity, and comments on the potential role of international human rights law in accelerating action in this area. The chapter focuses on CARICOM States’ obligations under the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas, the WTO and the CARIFORUM-EU Partnership Agreement. It ultimately concludes while CARICOM States’ international trade obligations do constrain their choice of public health measures and how they implement them, sufficient policy space remains for CARICOM governments to take meaningful action to prevent and control childhood obesity. It also recommends leveraging international human rights and its enforcement mechanisms to push Caribbean governments to act more promptly and decisively, while still respecting their international trade obligations.