People around the world are getting increasingly heavier. Chile is one country attempting to stop the obesity epidemic with drastic measures, while other Latin American nations are doing less about it.
Walk through any supermarket in Chile, and you can’t miss the octagonal black warning labels on various foods. They are emblazoned on the front of several packages of unhealthy items and warn about high amounts of sugar, salt, calories or saturated fat.
“The labels give me a guilty conscience,” says Camila Gajardo. When she goes shopping, the 24-year-old says she looks for products without labels. But not all Chileans are impressed by the new health campaign. “I don’t care at all about the warning signs,” says Miguel Toledo. The 31-year-old from Santiago isn’t bothered by the fact that he is overweight. He was already fat when he was a boy, just like his parents and siblings.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, almost 60 per cent of the population is overweight. Economic growth, increasing urbanisation and higher average incomes are some of the reasons. The leaders are the Bahamas (69 percent), Mexico (64 percent) and Chile (63 percent), according to a report by the Pan American Health Organisation.
The trend also affects young people. According to the OECD, 44.5 per cent of all children in Chile are overweight. The South American country now surpasses even the long-standing leader, the United States (39.9 percent). In Mexico, the figure stands at 35 percent.
It’s a development that has serious consequences. Being obese or overweight increases the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. In childhood, obesity can cause both physical and psychosocial damage. Eating disorders, depression and low self-esteem are possible consequences. Obesity is also an economic issue. The Mexican Health Ministry estimates that the cost of secondary related diseases in 2017 was the equivalent of 11.8 billion dollars.
The reactions to the alarming numbers vary. But hardly any other country has reacted as radically as Chile. In June 2016, the Health Ministry declared a health emergency, initiating far-reaching reforms.
The black warning symbols on unhealthy food are only one measure. They act like stop signs, especially for children, explains former health minister Carmen Castillo. During her tenure, under the former Socialist president Michelle Bachelet, she played a major role in their implementation.
In addition to labelling, there have also been advertising and sales bans. The black-labelled products may no longer be sold in Chilean schools. Advertising for these foods is prohibited on TV, radio and in the cinema during the day. In addition, packaging and advertising may no longer be targeted at children under the age of 14.
A number of producers have been affected by the new regulations. Companies like Kellogg’s have had to remove cartoon characters from their cereal boxes, and the Kinder Surprise chocolate egg was completely banned from shelves. McDonald’s also had to adapt its famous Happy Meal in its Chilean branches. Many companies and food associations criticised Chile’s course, and chocolate manufacturer Ferrero even went to court – but without success.
Mexico has so far done little to emulate Chile. That’s despite the fact that the Health Ministry declared obesity and diabetes to be an epidemiological emergency in 2016. Every second Mexican child is now at risk of developing diabetes. Nevertheless, small stalls selling unhealthy products in shiny, colourful packaging continue to set up right in front of the school gates. Lollipops, chocolate bars and crisps are marketed directly to the young target group alongside toys and collectible cards.
According to the Mexican consumer protection non-profit El Poder del Consumidor, there is a lack of mandatory measures, especially for school meals. There are well-intentioned guidelines, but in practice they are implemented inadequately or not at all. The organisation believes the guidelines have to become binding.
That’s what happened in 2016, when a 10-percent tax was levied on sugary beverages in Mexico. As a result, soft drink consumption fell by 6.3 percent, while water consumption increased by almost 13 percent, nutritionists wrote last year in The Journal of Nutrition.
In Chile, the new legislation is already having an effect. Even before it came into force, 20 percent of manufacturers had already reduced the amount of salt, sugar, fat and calories, explains former health minister Castillo. “A fantastic reaction.”
However, the Chileans have not yet lost weight. “It is very difficult to implement healthy habits,” says Castillo.
It would be premature to come to any conclusions about the campaign just yet. Nevertheless, Chile could well become a role model for other countries. – dpa
