Knowledge and use of nutrient labelling of industrialized foods and beverages in Mexico

• Main Authors: Lizbeth Tolentino-Mayo, Sofía Rincón-Gallardo Patiño, Liliana Bahena-Espina, Víctor Ríos, Simón Barquera
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública 2018-05-01
• Series: Salud Pública de México
• Subjects: etiquetado de alimentos; regulación; obesidad; diabetes mellitus; alimentos industrializados
• Online Access: http://www.saludpublica.mx/index.php/spm/article/view/8825
• ISSN: 0036-3634; 1606-7916

Objective. To keep record of the knowledge and use of information of the different food labels on industrialized products in Mexico. Materials and methods. We ad­ministered a semi-structured survey–developed by research­ers free of conflict interest–in a subsample of the National Health and Nutrition Survey, 2016. This survey was previously validated and piloted in different populations of varying socio­economic levels and age and country regions. Results. Data was collected from a total of 8 667 individuals ≥20 years of age. The most frecuent type of label on industrialized foods and beverages was the nutrient table with 41.5% (95%CI 36.9- 46.3) and the least used was the nutrient seal, 4.3% (95%CI 3.1-5.7). Conclusions. It is of critical importance that the regulating authorities and the Ministry of Health, implement criteria that guarantee the compliance of recommendations promulgated in official documents. As well as the standariza­tion of the percentage of recommended sugar intake based on WHO standards or lower considering the epidemiological alert for diabetes that the country is experiencing.