By the Caribbean Journal staff

With a significant increase in non-communicable diseases, both in the Caribbean and in St Lucia, the country’s government is urging citizens to improve their diet.

St Lucia will launch the Food-Based Dietary Dietary Guidelines initiative on July 6.

The guidelines contain broad messages based on principles of nutrition science.

According to Lisa Hunt-Mitchell, chief nutritionist within St Lucia’s Ministry of Health, the new guidelines were tailored specifically for St Lucia.

They include eight guidelines, including always trying to eat ground provisions, peas and beans with meals, eating more vegetables and fruits; buying less fatty and greasy foods, and the use of less fat and oils, salted foods and salty snacks, among others.

The government said the launch of the programme will include a “robust” public information campaign.