Global benchmarking of children's exposure to television advertising of unhealthy foods and beverages across 22 countries.

Restricting children's exposures to marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages is a global obesity prevention priority. Monitoring marketing exposures supports informed policymaking. This study presents a global overview of children's television advertising exposure to healthy and unhealthy products. Twenty-two countries contributed data, captured between 2008 and 2017. Advertisements were coded for the nature of foods and beverages, using the 2015 World Health Organization (WHO) Europe Nutrient Profile Model (should be permitted/not-permitted to be advertised). Peak viewing times were defined as the top five hour timeslots for children. On average, there were four times more advertisements for foods/beverages that should not be permitted than for permitted foods/beverages. The frequency of food/beverages advertisements that should not be permitted per hour was higher during peak viewing times compared with other times (P < 0.001). During peak viewing times, food and beverage advertisements that should not be permitted were higher in countries with industry self-regulatory programmes for responsible advertising compared with countries with no policies. Globally, children are exposed to a large volume of television advertisements for unhealthy foods and beverages, despite the implementation of food industry programmes. Governments should enact regulation to protect children from television advertising of unhealthy products that undermine their health.

Conocimiento y uso del etiquetado nutrimental de alimentos y bebidas industrializados en México / Knowledge and use of nutrient labelling of industrialized foods and beverages in Mexico

Resumen: Objetivo: Documentar el conocimiento y uso de la información de las diferentes etiquetas colocadas en los productos industrializados en México. Material y métodos: En una submuestra de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutrición de Medio Camino 2016, se aplicó un cuestionario semiestructurado, desarrollado por investigadores libres de conflicto de interés, previamente validado y piloteado en población de diferentes estratos socioeconómicos, grupos de edad y regiones del país. Resultados: Se entrevistó a 8 667 adultos ≥20 años de edad. El etiquetado más utilizado para la elección de alimentos y bebidas industrializados fue la "tabla nutrimental" 41.5% (IC95% 36.9-46.3) y el de menor uso el "sello nutrimental" 4.3% (IC95% 3.1-5.7). Conclusiones: Es de suma importancia que las instancias reguladoras, en coordinación con la Secretaría de Salud, implementen un etiquetado frontal rápido de leer y de fácil comprensión con criterios nutrimentales que garanticen el cumplimiento de lo expuesto en los documentos oficiales, así como la estandarización del porcentaje de consumo de azúcar al recomendado por la OMS o a una menor cantidad dada la alerta epidemiológica por diabetes que experimenta el país.

Abstract: Objective: To keep record of the knowledge and use of information of the different food labels on industrialized products in Mexico. Materials and methods: We administered a semi-structured survey-developed by researchers free of conflict interest-in a subsample of the National Health and Nutrition Survey, 2016. This survey was previously validated and piloted in different populations of varying socioeconomic levels and age and country regions. Results: Data was collected from a total of 8 667 individuals ≥20 years of age. The most frecuent type of label on industrialized foods and beverages was the nutrient table, with 41.5% (95%CI 36.9-46.3) and the least used was the nutrient seal, 4.3% (95%CI 3.1-5.7). Conclusions: It is of critical importance that the regulating authorities and the Ministry of Health, implement criteria that guarantee the compliance of recommendations promulgated in official documents. As well as the standarization of the percentage of recommended sugar intake based on WHO standards or lower considering the epidemiological alert for diabetes that the country is experiencing.

[Knowledge and use of nutrient labelling of industrialized foods and beverages in Mexico]. / Conocimiento y uso del etiquetado nutrimental de alimentos y bebidas industrializados en México.

OBJECTIVE: To keep record of the knowledge and use of information of the different food labels on industrialized products in Mexico. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We administered a semi-structured survey-developed by research¬ers free of conflict interestin a subsample of the National Health and Nutrition Survey, 2016. This survey was previously validated and piloted in different populations of varying socio¬economic levels and age and country regions. RESULTS: Data was collected from a total of 8 667 individuals ≥20 years of age. The most frecuent type of label on industrialized foods and beverages was the nutrient table with 41.5% (95%CI 36.9- 46.3) and the least used was the nutrient seal, 4.3% (95%CI 3.1-5.7). CONCLUSIONS: It is of critical importance that the regulating authorities and the Ministry of Health, implement criteria that guarantee the compliance of recommendations promulgated in official documents. As well as the standarization of the percentage of recommended sugar intake based on WHO standards or lower considering the epidemiological alert for diabetes that the country is experiencing.

OBJETIVO: Documentar el conocimiento y uso de la información de las diferentes etiquetas colocadas en los productos industrializados en México. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: En una submuestra de la Encuesta Nacional de Salud y Nutrición de Medio Camino 2016, se aplicó un cuestionario semiestructurado, desarrollado por investigadores libres de conflicto de interés, previamente validado y piloteado en población de diferentes estratos socioeconómicos, grupos de edad y regiones del país. RESULTADOS: Se entrevistó a 8 667 adultos ≥20 años de edad. El etiquetado más utilizado para la elección de alimentos y bebidas industrializados fue la "tabla nutrimental" 41.5% (IC95% 36.9-46.3) y el de menor uso el "sello nutrimental" 4.3% (IC95% 3.1-5.7). CONCLUSIONES: Es de suma importancia que las instancias reguladoras, en coordinación con la Secretaría de Salud, implementen un etiquetado frontal rápido de leer y de fácil comprensión con criterios nutrimentales que garanticen el cumplimiento de lo expuesto en los documentos oficiales, así como la estandarización del porcentaje de consumo de azúcar al recomendado por la OMS o a una menor cantidad dada la alerta epidemiológica por diabetes que experimenta el país.