The Faculty of Social Sciences and the Faculty of Medical Sciences, at the University of the West Indies, Mona will be hosting the first joint International Conference on the theme ‘Dying to be Beautiful? Body Image, Eating Behaviours and Health in the Caribbean.’ The Conference is scheduled for January 13-15, 2012 at the UWI Mona’s Western Jamaica Campus in Montego Bay. Local, regional and international speakers and participants have been invited to share and discuss strategies for treating issues related to health and culture, such as skin bleaching, obesity and eating disorders. 
 
 
The conference targets students, medical and health care professionals, scholars and the general public. It offers workshops, plenary sessions, research presentations and exhibitions as well as several public lectures. Topics of special relevance will include skin tattooing and plastic surgery; the bleaching phenomenon; defining beauty: sexy, fluffy or skinny women; beauty ideals and the promotion of healthy body image in the media. 
 
Researchers at the University of the West Indies, Mona, continue to be concerned at the increased incidences of obesity and diabetes mellitus. Additionally, there is growing concern about the prevalence of unhealthy behaviours reflected in extreme measures of body alterations such as skin bleaching, strict weight loss regimes, eating disorders, muscle building, tattooing and/or plastic surgery. 
 

“This conference is ground breaking where for the first time at the University the relevance of an integrated approach in healthcare is emphasized. Caribbean nationals and internationals will combine their expertise, research and knowledge taking into account culture, globalization, economics, politics and history and how these impact the human's body. Through this multi-disciplinary approach, we hope to better understand human nature and examine the ways in which we can inform and implement effective policies,” notes Dr. Caryl James, University Lecturer, Clinical Psychologist and Conference Chair. 
The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus recognizes that there is an urgent need to address and better understand the phenomenon by investigating possible causes and associated factors, explore possible explanations for these changing trends and gain a better understanding of this new culture through collaboration with all stakeholders.