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Article – Ultra-processed products in Argentina: evaluation of the nutrients profile model of the Pan American Health Organization

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Introduction: In Argentina, problems related to excess weight constitute one of the main challenges for public health. The background indicates that the consumption of ultra-processed products contributes to this trend due to their high sugar, total saturated, trans fat and sodium content. This study analyzes the PAHO nutrient profile in some ultra-processed products available in the Argentine market.

Materials and methods: Field, cross-sectional, comparative study. Nutrient profile (free sugars, total fat, saturated fat, trans fat, sodium) and caloric density were evaluated. The categories were: sweet cookies, alfajores, chocolates, candies, ice creams, cereals, drinks, spreads, salty and dairy snacks. A descriptive and inferential statistical analysis was performed.

Results: The sample was made up of 682 products and all of them exceeded the cut-off point of at least one nutrient, 94.4% presented an excessive amount of free sugars, 47.9% an excessive amount of total fats, 59. 2% excessive amount of saturated fat, 10.6% excessive amount of trans fat and 9.1% excessive amount of sodium. The average of the total caloric density was 3.19. Products with an excessive amount of total, saturated and trans fats had a higher caloric density (p<0.05); however, the caloric density of the products with an excessive amount of free sugars was lower (p=0.000), the same trend was found in the as of sodium, but this difference was not statistically significant.

Conclusions: All the products exceeded the cut-off point for at least one critical nutrient and having a lower caloric density did not guarantee their nutritional quality. The nutrient profile accurately reflects the nature of ultra-processed products.

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Article – Content of sugar, sodium and saturated fatsin the nutritional labeling of snacks and non-alcoholic beverages sold in the Metropolitancity of Lima in 2018

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Introduction: Food classified as snacks can be harmful and have adverse health consequences. Sugar, sodium, saturated fats and trans fats are substan- ces whose consumption is recommended to reduce.

Objectives: To quantify the content of sugar, sodium and saturated fats declared in the nutritional labeling of products sold in supermarkets.

Methods: This is a descriptive study where 200 products were selected and classified into four groups: cereal snacks, tuber snacks, dried fruit snacks and non-alcoholic beverages.

Results: After evaluating the content of sugar, sodium and saturated fats declared in the nutritional labeling, the results show that, on average, beve- rages contain 8.9g sugar/100ml, and more than 40% contained more than 10g sugar per 100ml of product. The average sugar content in cereal snacks was 22.06g/100g and the average sodium content was 311.91mg/100g. Likewise, 70% of these products contained more than 10g of sugar per 100g of product. The average content of sugar in fruit and nut snacks was 12.6g sugar/100g and the average sodium content was 250.6mg/100g of product.
The average content of saturated fats in tuber snacks was 10.2g/100g and the average sodium content was 451.00mg/100g; besides, 60% of these products exceed the maximum limits of sodium allowed by the Peruvian standard for critical nutrients (400 mg per 100g of product).

Conclusions:
Non-alcoholic beverages have high content of sugar in one third of them; the amount of sodium is below the limits established for this food group. The cereal snacks provide more sugar than recommended, as well as the saturated fats intake. The dried fruit snacks exceeded the recommendations for sugar content and one third exceeded the permitted levels of sodium content. Regarding tuber snacks, less than 50% of the analyzed products exceed the recommendations for sugar content, suggesting the need for continued public health efforts.

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Article – Information on food additives on food labels in Brazil: a critical analysis

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Questions about the safety of food additives and their consumption have been raised in recent years. The increased exposure to these substances, either by intake of ultra-processed foods or by the broad use and combination of various categories of additives, may be related to higher risks to consumer health. This article comments on the results of a study that quantified and characterized food additives found on the labels of 9,856 packaged foods and beverages available in Brazilian supermarkets. The study adopted a field diary method to record and analyze nonconformities in the lists of ingredients. The objective of this article is to discuss the use of additives identified on the labels and the limitations of Brazilian legislation, which should guarantee the right to information and health.

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Article – Socioeconomic and Demographic Factors Associated with the Influence of the Food Traffic Light Labeling on the Decision of the Adult Population of Ecuador to Purchase Processed Foods, 2018

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Abstract

To determine the socioeconomic and demographic factors associated with the influence of the nutritional traffic light (NTL) on the decision to purchase processed foods using information from the National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT) 2018 of Ecuador, a cross-sectional and analytical study based on a secondary analysis of the information from the ENSANUT 2018 was performed. We collected data from 25,932 participants 18 years of age or older who knew or had seen the NTL, and for whom complete information on the variables of interest for the study was available. The “Influence of the NTL on the purchase decision of processed foods” was the outcome variable of the study. Generalized linear models of the Poisson family, with log link, were used to assess the association between socioeconomic factors and outcome, using crude (PR) and adjusted (aPR) prevalence ratios, with 95% confidence intervals (CI) and a p-value < 0.05. Participants who understood the NTL (aPR: 2.49; 95% CI: 2.19–2.83), with a higher educational level (aPR: 1.33; 95% CI: 1.09–1.61), women (aPR 1.06; 95% CI: 1.01–1.10), and who had a partner (aPR 1.09; 95% CI: 1.04–1.14) were more likely to be influenced by the NTL when deciding to purchase processed foods, compared to people who did not understand the NTL, who had no educational level or who only attended a literacy center, were men, and those without a partner. The inhabitants of the coastal region (aPR: 0.92; 95% CI: 0.88–0.97), the Amazon (aPR 0.93; 95% CI: 0.88–0.98), and the insular region (aPR 0.76; 95% CI: 0.68–0.84) had few probabilities of being influenced by the NTL in the decision to purchase processed foods, in comparison with the residents of the highlands. Similarly, compared to non-poor people, poor people had a lower probability of being influenced by the NTL (aPR 0.89; 95% CI: 0.82–0.97). Factors associated with the influence of NTL on the decision to purchase processed foods were identified. It is recommended to reformulate and focus awareness strategies for using the NTL to purchase processed foods by taking into account the associated factors.

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Article – Food Sovereignty: Rights as instruments in Argentina’s Constitution

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Abstract: This article analyzes how certain rights enshrined in Argentina’s Constitution may play a role in supporting the implementation of Food Sovereignty in a national space. First, the article describes the main elements of Food Sovereignty and the ambiguous situation of law in the movement. After describing Argentina’s constitutional system, with special reference to social rights, the article links every main element of Food Sovereignty with one or more constitutional rights that could serve as a defense against policies detrimental to Food Sovereignty or as an instrument to promote or protect the implementation of this new food system.

For further information, you can access the original source in Spanish

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