You probably didn't check nutrition facts on the back of that unhealthy snack you had this afternoon. And, you're not alone. The consumption of junk food, and fast food for that matter, is done without second thought, and can eventually lead to obesity - which, in turn, leads to diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. And, in times like these, those are underlying conditions that could lead to death if one was to contract COVID-19.
That's why Chile, Peru, Uruguay, and now Mexico have started putting nutritional labels on the front of the packages. These labels are black and hexagonal and they are designed that way to catch your attention. If you're a junk food connoisseur you may have already noticed the labels.
And that's the point, to capture your attention, and this morning during a virtual discussion of the "Front of Package Nutrition Label," Dr Jorge Polanco explained how this can lead to making healthier choices.
Dr Jorge Polanco, PAHO
"It allows consumers to make informed decisions and this is key because I have here in front of me two items that have information on the ingredients but believe me, I know all of you have seen it, it's hard to understand."
"If it's understood easily, it would reduce the information gaps among different socioeconomic groups. Interestingly, it will also empower consumers to get involved in healthy food and in their health. It will be a tool for them to get engaged and make informed decisions, if they should purchase the product or not. And finally it also serves as an incentive for the food industry to reformulate towards a healthier profile. The experience in South America has already shown that with the dialogue that has been taken within the national health authorities and the private sector, many manufacturers have already begun reformulating their products. Many examples are in regards to the sodas. They have begun reformulating it to a point where if it is evaluated with these symbols, with these hexagons, they would be able to produce it without putting that symbol."
You'll see the high sugar label when 10% of calories come from free sugars; the saturated fat label with 10% of calories comes from that; and the trans fat label with 1% of calories is from that as well. There are also high calorie, and high sodium labels to look out for.
