Childhood overweight and obesity. To the extreme evil of the globesity Mexico - like Chile, Peru and Uruguay - responds with the mandatory nutritional warnings on the HFSS food and beverage label (High in Fats, Sugar and Sodium). Between warning labels and NutriScore, some brief reflections.
Mexico, health emergency
UNICEF and other international agencies for the protection of public health have been denouncing for years aepidemiological emergency', in Mexico. Childhood and youth obesity, overweight and related diseases, diabetes (in primis), affect 36,5% of children aged 5-11) and 38,4% of 12-19 year olds. A scenario not even very distant from the Italian one where - as seen in the report Eurispes 31.1.20 - 30,6% of children are overweight (21,3%) or obese (9,3%). (1)
Obesity and overweight - not surprisingly indicated as one of the three factors of Global Syndemic, in the homonymous study of The Lancet Commission on Obesity - lead to the development of diabetes, cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. In the broader context of severe and chronic noncommunicable diseases (Non-Communicable Diseases, NCDs) associated with the consumption of ultraprocessed foods e junk food. Acute inflammations, DNA alterations and deficiency of the immune system, syndrome of fat liver, tumors and premature mortality. (2)
The siege of ultra-processed foods
'What we find in families with high marginalization and in children with obesity or malnutrition it is the invasion of their spaces, their homes, with food ultraprocessed. These foods and brands have penetrated their intimacy, won their trust. But they are foods that can lead to malnutrition and obesity (…) they are the real garbage. And it's time to recover our food landscape, to re-evaluate our food ' (Julieta Ponce, director of the Food Orientation Center, WITH THE Nutrition).
The invasion of food-garbage it is recognized by every local and international health agency as the primary cause of the ongoing health epidemic. The 'model' of compulsive consumption of carbonated and sweetened drinks instead of water, snack high-calorie instead of fruit between meals, has demolished the Mexican food tradition. Like what happened in Europe, in the countries that were the cradle of the Mediterranean diet and now stand out for the prevalence of childhood obesity.
Alchemy of fat, sugar and salt - in ultra-processed foods - also generates physical as well as psychological dependence. Numerous Scientific studies in fact, they demonstrate how this type of product activates mechanisms similar to those stimulated by alcohol and tobacco. It is therefore all the more essential to introduce clear information on the label front about the risks associated with their consumption. And studies conducted in Mexico, Chile, Peru and Uruguay show that nutrition warnings on HFSS foods are the most effective form of communication. (3)
The Mexican Revolution, #LabeledClaroYa!
Mexico it has already demonstrated the ability to prioritize public health over private interests. It introduced a tax on sugary drinks in 2014, the effectiveness of which was also appreciated by the part soda tax (World Health Organization). The Mexican Parliament is working on among other things milk sounding, meat sounding and limits toadding water to meats.
#EtiquetadoClaroYa! is the name of the project that inaugurates 2020, with a major reform of the Mexican official food labeling standard (NOM-051-SCFI / SSA1-2010). The new rules, soon to be published in the Official Gazette, prescribe the following:
- adoption of nutritional profiles prepared by Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), in line with recommendations of the WHO (or WHO, World Health Organization),
- nutritional warning mandatory on the label front of foods which, on the basis of the aforementioned nutritional profiles, are excessive in calories, sugar, sodium, saturated fatty acids and trans fatty acids. The warnings must be provided in a specific format, white on black, inside an octagonal box,
- elimination of the so-called GDA (Guidelines Daily Amounts) developed by Big food to provide summary nutritional information that includes the indication of the share of energy and 'critical' micronutrients offered by a portion of food compared to an 'average daily requirement', (4)
- notice on the presence of caffeine ed artificial sweeteners which 'ingredients not recommended for consumption by children',
- restrictions to the use of 'characters and drawings aimed at children '. For the express purpose of limiting the use of persuasive information, such as characters and drawings that 'manipulate the decisions of the population, especially children, to choose unhealthy products'. (5)
#etiquetadosclaros, the reasons for success
The #etiquetadosclaros program - which finds full expression in the current Mexican reform - was developed thanks to the synergy between international agencies, higher education centers, professional and civil society associations, research centers. In collaboration with the federal agencies Cofepris (Comisión Federal para la Protección against Riesgos Sanitarios) and Profeco (Federal Office of the Consumer) and the ministries (economy, health, agriculture and rural development, environment and natural resources, labor and social well-being, communications and transport, welfare, energy, tourism).
The reform It was preceded by an extensive consultation of all stakeholders that collected more than 5 thousand comments. And it was declared by the representatives in Mexico of UNICEF, WHO, FAO and PAHO '' one of the most cost-effective measures to properly guide families in food selection and consumption and reverse the distortions that have caused highly processed products in recent decades'.
Between warning labels and NutriScore
The industrial reaction the Mexican reform was very negative, as expected. Precisely because of the impact that it will have on the sales of HFSS ultraprocessed foods, in a market of about 129 million people. And of the domino effect that it may have in other countries of the planet. (6)
It is easy to predict new pressure from the USA and Canada on the working tables of international free trade negotiations (NAPHTA, CETA). The Italian government itself has long ago declared war on nutritional profiles and summary nutritional information on the label front, at the European level e of WHO (WHO).
The NutriScore system - already widely distributed in several countries of the Old World, as well as the subject of a specific European citizens' initiative - therefore deserves a more careful consideration. As a reasonable compromise between priority public health needs and industrial fears of discrimination of certain foods. In compliance with the democratic choices adopted in Mexico and other states, and above all in the awareness of a global health emergency.
Dario Dongo
Footnotes
(1) The Italian situation unfortunately it seems destined to get worse. The report 'Child malnutrition in Italy and in the world' (2018), by the Gaslini Pediatric Hospital of Genoa and the Helpcode association, indicates that 53% of Italian minors exceed their consumption of junk food between meals, 36% eat carbonated and sugary drinks every day. Data consistent with those expressed in the first 'Italian Obesity Barometer Report' of April 2019 (v. https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/salute/obesità-in-italia-un-paese-malato).
Diabetes in Italy in young people aged 20-30 it has consequently doubled in the last 10 years, reaching 150 cases (for 95% of type 2 diabetes, associated with excessive consumption of sugar and salt). As exhibited at the congress 'Diabetes Panorama', on 8-13.3.19 in Riccione (see note 5 in the previous article https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/progresso/salute-a-scuola-belle-parole-in-accordo-stato-regioni)
(2) On ultraprocessed foods, junk food and premature mortality see the scientific studies cited in previous articles https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/salute/alimenti-ultraprocessati-e-mortalità-prematura-due-studi-scientifici, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/salute/bevande-zuccherate-e-dolcificate-snack-dolci-studi-su-mortalità-prematura-e-sugar-tax.
(3) Alianza por la Salud Alimentaria, position and rationale with scientific bibliography, on https://alianzasalud.org.mx/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/d-2002-etiquetado-hi-util-a-industria-no-al-consumidor-ante -oposicion-d-la-idustria.pdf. Further information on https://etiquetadosclaros.org/la-evidencia-cientifica/
(4) The cd Guideline Daily Amounts (GDA) were introduced in Europe, with the caption 'Reference Assumptions'(Reference Intakes), on a voluntary basis, in reg. EU 1169/11.
(5) Exposure of minors and their mothers to the aggressive and uneducational marketing of HFSS foods has been the subject of recent studies, dedicated to the Coca-Cola and Ferrero campaigns. See previous articles https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/consum-attori/coca-cola-falsa-propaganda-su-salute-e-benessere-rivolta-ai-teenager-studio-scientifico, https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/sicurezza/bambini-e-cibo-spazzatura-pubblicizzato-su-youtube-il-caso-del-nutella-day.
(6) Le warning labels, or nutrition warnings on the label front, are currently being considered in several countries around the world, including India. See Amit Khurana, Junk food monster: Global practice is moving to warning labels. Down to Earth, 17.12.19, https://www-downtoearth-org-in.cdn.ampproject.org/c/s/www.downtoearth.org.in/news/food/amp/junk-food-monster-global-practice-is-moving-to-warning-labels-68423. On nutrition policies in India, see also https://www.greatitalianfoodtrade.it/progresso/junk-food-espulso-dalla-scuola-l-esempio-in-india.
Dario Dongo, lawyer and journalist, PhD in international food law, founder of WIISE (FARE - GIFT - Food Times) and Égalité.
