Antigua and Barbuda: Food Systems and Metabolic Health

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Antigua and Barbuda: island food security and metabolic health

Antigua and Barbuda combines tourism, fisheries, small-scale agriculture and a strong dependence on imported food. Water scarcity, hurricanes and high transport costs shape which foods are available and affordable, while local vegetables, fruit, legumes, roots, seafood and the distinctive Antigua Black pineapple remain valuable food-system assets.

At a glance

• Overweight and obesity: PAHO estimates 62.7% prevalence in 2022.
• Diabetes: estimated prevalence rose from 7.7% in 2000 to 11.5% in 2014.
• Hypertension: reported prevalence among adults was 23.4% in 2015.

Two islands, different vulnerabilities

Antigua has concentrated population, tourism and commercial activity; Barbuda’s smaller communities and food systems were profoundly disrupted by Hurricane Irma in 2017. Disaster preparedness therefore includes protecting water, seed, fishing equipment, cold storage and routes for distributing nutritious foods after a storm.

Food-system priorities

Local production cannot replace every import, but it can improve resilience. School and hotel purchasing can create dependable markets for farmers and fishers. Water should be the routine beverage, and policies should make minimally processed foods easier to obtain than sugary drinks and packaged snacks.

Selected authoritative sources

• PAHO: Antigua and Barbuda country profile
• FAO: Resilient Caribbean Initiative

Caribbean navigation: Caribbean • Puerto Rico • Jamaica • Trinidad and Tobago • Dominican Republic • Haiti • Cuba • Barbados • Saint Lucia • Grenada • Antigua and Barbuda • The Bahamas • Dominica • Saint Kitts and Nevis • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines