Tufton urges action on GSHS findings

KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaicans are being urged to take seriously the findings of the 2026 Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS), as the data provide an important basis for developing policies and programmes to improve the health and well-being of the country’s adolescents. Minister of Health and Wellness, Christopher Tufton, made the call during a press conference for the official release of the findings on Wednesday, September 2, at the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) Jamaica offices at The University of the West Indies (UWI), Mona, St Andrew. He said the survey provides scientifically collected information that should guide national action.

The ministry intends to “mine the data and interpret it and use it to create better policies for better health and wellness in our population,” Tufton said. The 2026 survey, conducted by the National Council on Drug Abuse (NCDA), involved 3,058 students in grades seven to 12 and represents the third time the assessment has been conducted in Jamaica, following surveys in 2010 and 2017. Tufton noted that all schools selected for participation responded, representing a 100 per cent school response rate, while the student response rate was 76 per cent.

The survey examined health behaviours and protective factors among young people, including dietary practices, substance use, physical activity, sexual behaviour, violence, injuries and other factors affecting adolescent well-being. Among the concerns highlighted by the minister were students’ dietary habits and weight status. He said 41.3 per cent of students reported that they had not eaten fruit during the seven days preceding the survey, while only 27.5 per cent reported eating vegetables one or more times per day.

The findings also showed increases in underweight, overweight and obesity compared with previous surveys, with 3.4 per cent of students classified as underweight, 31.7 per cent as overweight and 15.3 per cent as obese in 2026. Tufton said the Government is responding through measures, including the School Nutrition Policy, which is aimed at ensuring that children in early-childhood, primary, secondary and special education institutions have access to safe and nutritious foods. He described the policy as potentially a “game-changer” for improving the nutrition of Jamaican children.

He noted that 290 school cooks were trained during July and Aug…