WASHINGTON — Mexico is imposing a strict new set of labeling and advertising guidelines for food and beverage manufacturers aimed at reducing obesity, a problem the World Bank is calling a “ticking time bomb” that could negatively affect both health and economic development in low- and middle-income countries.
Processed food sold in Mexico will now be required to display a front-of-package warning label if it contains substantial levels of sugar, fat, salt, or calories and to advise against giving products high in artificial sweeteners or caffeine to children. The regulations also ban the use of animated characters to promote junk food to children.
Juan Rivera, director of the Mexican National Institute of Public Health, said that a nutrition survey from 1999 that was conducted in Mexico showed the first sign that obesity was a growing problem in the country, particularly among women. Subsequent surveys revealed more evidence of a growing public health problem, with the latest data showing that an estimated 72% of Mexicans are overweight or obese.