Declaración de alergenos en el etiquetado de alimentos: panorama latinoamericano / Declaration of allergens on food labels: overview of Latin America / Declaração de alergênicos na rotulagem de alimentos: panorama da América Latina

RESUMEN Objetivo. Identificar los países que tienen legislación relacionada con la declaración obligatoria de alergenos alimentarios, alimentos irradiados y transgénicos en el etiquetado nutricional de alimentos envasados. Métodos. Estudio exploratorio en el cual se revisaron los reglamentos sanitarios o normas técnicas de los alimentos de los países de América Latina con el fin de recopilar información sobre la declaración de alergenos, trazas de alergenos, alimentos irradiados y transgénicos. La búsqueda de la información se realizó a través de páginas gubernamentales de los países. Los resultados se presentan de manera descriptiva y narrativa. Resultados. De los 19 países revisados, 89% declara alergenos en su etiquetado nutricional, 76% incorpora la declaración de trazas en su legislación de manera explícita y 82% sigue las recomendaciones del Codex Alimentarius con algunas modificaciones en las categorías de alimentos. Conclusiones. La declaración de alergenos como medida de seguridad alimentaria, así como avanzar en mejorar la rotulación de trazas de alergenos y la disponibilidad universal de epinefrina son los desafíos pendientes de la Región.

ABSTRACT Objective. Identify countries that have legislation on mandatory declarations of food allergens, irradiated foods, and transgenic foods on the nutritional labels of packaged foods. Methods. Exploratory study reviewing the health regulations and technical standards for foods in Latin American countries in order to gather information on declarations of allergens, trace allergens, irradiated foods, and transgenic foods. The information search was carried out through the countries' government web pages. Presentation of the results is descriptive and narrative. Results. Of the 19 countries reviewed, 89% require a declaration of allergens on their nutrition labeling, 76% have legislation that explicitly require a statement on trace allergens, and 82% follow Codex Alimentarius recommendations with some modifications of food categories. Conclusions. Three pending challenges in the Region are: requiring statements on allergens as a food safety measure; making progress toward improved labeling of trace allergens; and ensuring universal availability of epinephrine.

RESUMO Objetivo. Identificar os países que têm legislação relacionada à declaração obrigatória de alimentos alergênicos, irradiados e transgênicos na rotulagem nutricional de alimentos embalados. Métodos. Estudo exploratório com revisão dos regulamentos sanitários ou normas técnicas de alimentos dos países da América Latina, a fim de coletar informações sobre a declaração de alimentos alergênicos, traços de alergênicos, alimentos irradiados e transgênicos na rotulagem nutricional. A busca de informações foi realizada por meio dos sites governamentais dos países. Os resultados são apresentados de forma descritiva e narrativa. Resultados. Dos 19 países analisados, 89% declaram alergênicos na rotulagem nutricional, 76% incorporam explicitamente a declaração de traços na legislação e 82% seguem as recomendações do Codex Alimentarius, com algumas modificações nas categorias de alimentos. Conclusões. Entre os desafios pendentes na Região estão a implementação da declaração de alergênicos como medida de segurança alimentar e a melhoria da rotulagem de traços de alergênicos e da disponibilidade universal de epinefrina.

Medidas implementadas en Chile para garantizar el acceso a los alimentos durante pandemia COVID-19

RESUMEN Objetivo: Describir las medidas gubernamentales y no gubernamentales implementadas en Chile para garantizar las dimensiones de acceso y disponibilidad de la seguridad alimentaria durante la pandemia por COVID-19. Método: Se realizó un estudio cualitativo narrativo. La búsqueda de la información se realizó a través del Ministerio de Salud, Ministerio de Desarrollo Social y Familia (MIDESO), Ministerio de Agricultura y Junta Nacional de Auxilio Escolar y Becas JUNAEB además de reuniones con representantes de JUNAEB y MIDESO. Resultados: Las medidas gubernamentales se centraron en apoyar a las familias que vieron disminuido su ingreso económico y en menor medida, se enfocaron en mejorar la disponibilidad de alimentos. Las medidas no gubernamentales fueron principalmente entrega de alimentos y productos de higiene por la empresa privada. Conclusión: Es necesario evaluar el impacto de las medidas implementadas y monitorizar el efecto de la pandemia en la población con el fin de mejorar las medidas existentes o implementar otras nuevas.

ABSTRACT Objective: To describe governmental and non-governmental measures implemented in Chile to guarantee access and availability of food security during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: Qualitative narrative study. The information was sought in the Ministry of Health, Ministry of Social Development and Family (MIDESO), Ministry of Agriculture and the National Board of Scholarships for School Aid (JUNAEB), as well as meetings with representatives of JUNAEB and MIDESO. Results: Government measures focused on supporting families that saw their income decreased, to a lesser extent, they focused on improving food availability. The non-governmental measures were mainly the delivery of food and hygiene products by private companies. Conclusion: It is necessary to assess the impact and monitor the effects of programs implemented related to food security during the pandemic to improve existing ones or implement new ones.

Características y contenido de los programas de Magíster en Salud Pública en Chile / Features and contents of master programs in public health in Chile

Background: In Chile, public health training grew both in enrollment and in the number of universities offering programs on the subject. Aim: To compare the academic characteristics and the contents of the master's programs in public health offered by Chilean universities. Material and Methods: A search of all master's programs that include the word "public health " in their title was made, excluding those that did not declare current students in 2020. The academic characteristics and content of each program were compiled according to the information declared by each university. The contents were grouped according to the list of core competencies for the public health professional of the Association of Schools of Public Health in the European Region (ASPHER). Results: Eleven programs were included, most of them are carried out in face-to-face modality. The academic load is expressed in Transferable Credit System credits (62-71), credits (87-125) or teaching hours (1252-2048). All programs declare to have a graduation activity, with a heterogeneous academic load. All programs have basic subjects in epidemiology and more than 60% include introductory topics in public health, research methodology, and health services management. No program declares demography or food safety as compulsory subjects. Conclusions: There is heterogeneity in the academic load and the contents between the programs. It is necessary to establish common criteria in the training of future public health professionals, at least in the compulsory subjects and the minimum academic load.

Revisión narrativa Modelos predictivos sobre la evolución de la pandemia por COVID-19 / Narrative review: predictive models on the evolution of COVID-19 pandemic

La modelización matemática se utiliza desde hace más de 100 años para evaluar el impacto de las estrategias de intervención de salud pública y sugerir el curso de acción óptimo en la lucha contra las enfermedades infecciosas emergentes. La aparición del nuevo virus SARS-CoV-2 plantea un gran desafío para los planificadores y decisores en salud, que deben movilizar recursos finitos, reorganizar los sistemas de atención y tomar decisiones en un contexto de gran incertidumbre. Para afrontar la pandemia por COVID-19, muchos sistemas de salud incorporan información provista por modelos predictivos. Esto insta a revisar la evolución de los distintos tipos de modelos existentes, sus características, limitaciones y vinculación con la toma de decisiones en Argentina y otros países. Con ese objetivo, se realizó una búsqueda bibliográfica sobre los modelos publicados acerca de la evolución de la pandemia. Se analizó el número de proyectos conexos presentados a becas del Ministerio de Ciencia, Tecnología e Innovación. Se identificaron, clasificaron y describieron distintos tipos de modelos, como determinísticos y estocásticos, distintos modelos compartimentados, y se describió la teoría del umbral y características principales de los modelos, como el número reproductivo básico (R0). Se analizó la importancia de los supuestos de cada modelo y el abordaje de la incertidumbre. Se discutieron sus principales limitaciones y su vinculación con la toma de decisiones en provincias y regiones.

Mathematical modeling has been used for over a hundred years to assess the impact of public health intervention strategies and suggest the optimal course of action in the fight against emerging infectious diseases. The appearance of the new SARS-CoV-2 virus poses a great challenge for health planners and decision-makers, who must allocate finite resources, reorganize care systems, and make decisions in a context of great uncertainty. Many health systems incorporate information provided by predictive models in their decision-making process to face the COVID-19 pandemic. This makes it necessary to review the evolution of the different types of existing models, their characteristics, limitations and link with decision-making in Argentina and other countries. In order to fulfill this objective, a bibliographic search was carried out on the published models about the evolution of the pandemic. The number of related projects submitted for scholarships from the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation was analyzed. Different types of published models were identified, classified and described, such as deterministic and stochastic, different compartmentalized models, threshold theory and main characteristics of the models were described as the basic reproductive number (R0). The importance of the assumptions of each model and the approach to uncertainty were analyzed. Its main limitations and its link with decision-making in provinces and regions were discussed.

Involvement of the food industry in nutrition conferences in Latin America and the Caribbean

Objective: Identify and characterise the food industry's involvement in nutrition and dietetics national and regional events in Latin America and the Caribbean. Design: Between February and April 2020, we conducted desk-based searches for nutrition and dietetics events held in the region between January 2018 and December 2019. Online freely accessible, publicly available information was collected on the involvement of the food industry through: sponsorship of events; sponsorship of sessions; speakers from the food industry; scholarships, fellowship, grants, awards and other prizes and; exhibition space/booths. Setting: Nutrition and dietetics events in Latin America and the Caribbean. Results: Thirty-one events held in twenty countries of the region had information publicly available online at the period of data collection. There was a lack of transparency on the involvement of industry actors in these events. When information was publicly available, we found that a total of ninety-two food industry actors sponsored 88 % of these events. Conclusions: There is a mostly unreported, but likely extensive, involvement of food industry actors in nutrition and dietetics events in Latin America and the Caribbean.(AU)

Tendencia de la lactancia materna exclusiva en Chile antes y después de la implementación de la Ley postnatal parental / Trend of exclusive breastfeeding in Chile before and after the parental postnatal law

INTRODUCCIÓN: Dada la implementación de la ley postnatal parental en niños atendidos en sistema público de salud, el objetivo de este estudio es describir la tendencia de la lactancia materna exclusiva (LME) al sexto de mes de vida en Chile antes y después de la implementación de la ley postnatal parental. MATERIAL Y MÉTODO: Estudio observacional de tipo poblacional, a partir de los datos de LME hasta el sexto mes obtenidos de los registros estadísticos mensuales (REM), disponibles en el Departamento de Información y Estadísticas en Salud de niños atendidos en el sistema público de salud. Se determinó la prevalencia y la prevalencia ponderada por región y país. Se analizó la variación porcentual acumulada (VP) y variación porcentual anual (VPA) de la prevalencia utilizando un modelo de regresión lineal en el período antes (2008-2011) y después (2011-2013) de la implementación de la ley. RESULTADOS: La mayor prevalencia de LME se observó en los años 2008 (49,1%) y 2009 (45,1%) y la menor en el año 2011(41,1%). Las regiones de Antofagasta (33,6%) y Atacama (31,6%) presentaron la menor prevalencia ponderada del período 2008-2013. Se observó una VPA negativa en el período 2008-2011 y una VPA positiva en el período 2011-2013 en todas las regiones y en el país, con excepción de la región del Gral. Libertador B. O'Higgins. CONCLUSIONES: La promulgación de la ley que aumenta el postnatal de 12 a 24 semanas revierte la tendencia decreciente de la LME al sexto mes. Esto podría incentivar a otros gobiernos para invertir recursos y esfuerzos en la primera infancia aportando a la equidad y la salud.

INTRODUCTION: To describe the trend of exclusive breastfeeding (EBF) until sixth month of life in Chile before and after the implementation of the parental postnatal law in children treated in the public health system. MATERIAL AND METHOD: An observational and population-based study, using the EBF data up to the sixth month obtained from monthly statistical records (MSR), available at the Department of Information and Statistics on Health of children treated in the public health system. Prevalence and weighted prevalence were determined by region and country. Cumulative percentage variation (PV) and annual percentage variation (APV) of prevalence were analyzed using a linear regression model in the period before (2008-2011) and after (2011-2013) of the implementation of the law. RESULTS: The highest prevalence of EBF was observed in 2008 (49.1%) and 2009 (45.1%) and the lowest in 2011 (41.1%). The Antofagasta (33.6%) and Atacama Region (31.6%) had the lowest weighted prevalence of the period. A negative APV was observed in the period 2008-2011 and a positive APV in the period 2011-2013 in all regions and in the country, except for the B. O'Higgins Region. CONCLUSIONS: The enactment of the law that increases EBF until 24 weeks of life reverses the decreasing tendency previosly observed until the sixth month. This could encourage other governments to invest resources and efforts in early childhood by providing equity and health.