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Article – Carbohydrate content and ingredient profile of supposedly “low-carb” food products in Brazil

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Purpose

This study aims to evaluate the carbohydrate content, ingredient profile and degree of processing of supposedly “low-carb” foods in the Brazilian market.

Design/methodology/approach

Information was collected from physical supermarkets in Divinópolis, Minas Gerais and on websites throughout Brazil between July and September/2020. The carbohydrate content was assessed in g/100 g, and ingredient lists were investigated for the presence of carbohydrate-rich ingredients. The degree of processing of the products was evaluated by NOVA classification to determine whether the term “low carb” had been translated into Portuguese.

Findings

This study evaluated a total number of 164 products, the most frequent were bakery products (34.7%), granola and cereal bars (19.5%) and candies and desserts (14.0%). This claim was also found in low-carb foods such as cheese and chicken. Most food products evaluated (56.0%) were classified as ultra-processed, with the group having the highest carbohydrate content (20.0; 3.0–47.5g/100g), compared to products classified as processed foods (p < 0.01). The ingredient lists showed items rich in carbohydrates, such as cassava and corn derivatives. In 162 products, a low-carb claim was displayed without translation into Portuguese. These data demonstrate that most of these products are ultra-processed and have a high glycidic content.

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Article – Marketing techniques, health, and nutritional claims on processed foods and beverages before and after the implementation of mandatory front-of-package warning labels in Peru

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In June 2019, mandatory front-of-package warning labels (FOPL) were implemented in Peru. The aim of the study was to describe changes in marketing strategies on packaging: marketing techniques (MT), health claims (HC), and nutritional claims (NC) on the packaging of products frequently consumed by children before and after the FOPL implementation. Product photos were taken pre- (March 2019) and post-implementation (March-October 2020) in three supermarkets in Lima, Peru. Following INFORMAS protocols and Peruvian Technical Norms, the presence of MT, HC, and NC was assessed on all package sides. Products were classified as “high-in” and “not high-in” based on the regulation threshold for critical nutrients. Differences in the proportion of products with each strategy in both periods were evaluated. Also, a subsample of products was matched according to the barcode and exact McNemar test was used to compare proportions of strategies pre/post-implementation. We included 883 and 1,035 products in pre- and post-implementation, respectively. In both periods, MT appeared on almost 70% of all products. The presence of HC increased significantly only for beverages (24.5–38.1%, p < 0.001). In both phases, NC were commonly used on beverages (>80%). Overall, the prevalence of “high-in” products using MT increased (73.6–82.1%, p = 0.007), while use of HC increased among “not high-in” products (32.9–41.6%, p < 0.001). There is a high frequency of MT on all products and NC on beverages. The increase in MT in “high-in” products may be an industry response to minimize the impact of the FOPL on food choices and sales. New regulatory aspects regarding labeling should be implemented to strengthen the current policy.

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Article – Coexistence of high content of critical nutrients and claims in food products targeted at Brazilian children

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Objective:

This study aimed to evaluate food labels targeted at children and identify the concomitant presence of claims and high levels of critical nutrients and/or the presence of sweeteners. As a secondary objective, it aimed to list different types of claims and check which marketing strategies are most used.

Methods:

We collected 409 products, from 8 popular food groups targeted at children, in Brazilian market (i.e., fruit drinks, dairy drinks, sandwich cookies, cakes, breakfast cereals, jellies, corn snacks, and yogurts). The contents of critical nutrients (e.g., sugar, total fat, saturated fat, and trans-fat, and sodium) and presence/absence of sweetener were calculated, considering Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) parameters. Then, we verified the presence and types of claims in these products.

Results:

Overall, 265 (64.7%) labels presented claims. In three of the eight categories (i.e., breakfast cereals, dairy drinks, and yogurt), all products with claims (50, 34, and 34 products, respectively) had one or more nutrients in harmful concentrations (critical nutrients above PAHO’s nutritional profile and/or presence of sweeteners). In the other categories, only one product (of 63 sandwich cookies and 26 breakfast cereals with claims) and three products (of 22 cakes and 28 jellies with claims) had no nutrient in critical concentration. The presence of claims, like “rich/source” of micronutrient, was predominant in seven of the eight food groups.

Conclusion:

In the present study, there was a high presence of claims, of different types, in foods targeted at children, which, for the most part, also have excess of at least one critical nutrient, according to PAHO.

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Article – The challenges of front-of-package labeling in Brazil

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The Brazilian legal system has plenty of mechanisms to ensure the public right to access clear information. The Federal Constitution (FC), enacted in 1988 and known as the “Citizen Constitution,” has as its principle to guarantee the right to human dignity. Protection of consumers, as well as their inviolable right to life and safety, are guaranteed by the FC as basic rights. The FC limits the country’s economic order when establishing that its goal is to provide dignity for all Brazilians. Therefore, economic development cannot put people at risk, and its processes must be aligned with principles of goodwill and balance between consumers and suppliers. Collectively, FC establishes that health, food, and youth protection are social rights; hence, the government is responsible for providing policies for its implementation.

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Article – Is nutrition labeling associated with decreased obesity? A quantitative approach to nutritional health policy in Ecuador

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Few studies assess consumer response to nutrition labeling, especially in less-developed countries. We analyzed the link between nutrition labeling and obesity in Ecuador using a representative cross-sectional sample of 29,770 individuals from the National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT) in 2018. Nutrition labeling reduced the probability of obesity in adolescent (12–18 years old) and adult (18–59 years old) people by 4% (CI: − 5.7, − 2.2) and 8.4% (CI: − 12.7, − 4.0), respectively. The magnitude of average treatment effect of using nutrition label on obesity ranged from 0.90 (CI: − 1.299, − 0.500) to 1 (CI: − 1.355, − 0.645) BMI points for adolescent, and from 1.16 (CI: − 1.554, − 0.766) to 1.80 (CI: − 2.791, − 0.811) BMI points for adult. The effect of nutrition labeling is greater among the less obese. We recommend that health policy makers and clinicians continue to promote nutrition labeling especially where obesity is not chronic, where nutrition labeling is most successful.

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