Specialists from the National Institute of Public Health (INSP) has revealed that ultra-processed products represent an alarming proportion of the daily calorie consumption of this population, reaching 39%. This has generated concern regarding its consumption among girls, boys and adolescents, with a direct impact on their health.
Within the framework of the symposium ““Digital advertising: a violation of the right to health, privacy and autonomy of girls, boys and adolescents”held on April 12, INSP experts highlighted how digital advertising has contributed significantly to the increase in the consumption of ultra-processed foods, thus displacing healthier options in the diet of young people.
The director of the Center for Research in Nutrition and Health (CINS) of the INSP emphasized that The consumption of these products is closely linked to the development of chronic non-communicable diseases (NCD), which poses a serious threat to public health.
In worrying numbers, It is estimated that in Mexico, 1.3 million girls and boys under five years of age suffer from chronic malnutrition., while 14 million girls, boys and adolescents live with overweight or obesity. These figures are not exclusive to Mexico, since Latin America faces a similar situation, with 6.1 million cases of chronic malnutrition and 48 million cases of overweight and obesity.
Parents, aware of the health risks posed by these products, strive to limit their consumption by their children. However, they face numerous barriers, such as lack of time to cook and the omnipresence of ultra-processed foods in public and social settings.
Faced with this problem, the Global Alliance for Healthy Eating for Girls, Boys and Adolescents (Alsanna) emerged, formed during the Congress of the Latin American Nutrition Society in 2023. Alsanna urges the governments of Latin America and the Caribbean to adopt 10 recommendations key, including legislative measures, educational programs and actions to restrict the advertising of ultra-processed foods.
Experts at the symposium also highlighted how digital marketing strategies are specifically targeting young people through digital platforms and video games, raising questions about the ethics and responsibility of the food industry.
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