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Stop, look, and listen to reason.
Rebecca and I love the pancakes we make from Krusteaz pancake mix and were surprised to see it on the shelf of a grocery store in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico.
It looked like a Krusteaz package, but what were those black stop signs plastered over the brand?
The translation was easy: the labels warned against excessive sugars and sodium. Mexico’s Health Department has required those warnings on the packaging of unhealthy foods since 2020. (source)
Mexico and other Latin American countries are fighting an epidemic of obesity. One regulatory tool is the front of the package warning label.
Of course, the food industry fought the labels.
Do the warnings work?
Jonathan Levi Rito Medina, a general practice physician in Hildago, says about 20% of his patients ask about the labels. For those with diabetes or hypertension, he tells them “to avoid the black label products completely.”
Mayelela Lopez runs a grocery store in Hildago. She’s observed that about two out of every one hundred mothers tell their kids they can’t buy the black label product.
Like Mexico, America has a severe health problem.
It’s estimated that 42% of Americans are obese, and that includes 20% of its children. (source)
In recent years, The Food and Drug Administration has required food producers to provide more explicit messages about Nutrition Facts. The font is more significant and bolded. And it includes a new category, added sugars. (source)
For those interested and concerned about what goes into the food products they consume, it’s all there and easier to read than ever.
Some American health advocates want the FDA to go further and require Mexican-style-front-of-the-package warning labels.
I agree.
What do you think?
Reader Comments
Great idea! Very helpful, those front of package warnings! This Mexican campaign against obesity reminds me of what I learned in Cuba about 20 years ago. Because of the U.S. blockade, many pharmaceuticals, lab tests, medical equipment of all sorts, etc. are not available in Cuba. Cuban health professionals are therefore obliged to focus on disease prevention. They know that obesity can lead to medical issues and so they educate their patients on how to avoid eating too much of the wrong foods.
Thank you, Laurie. One of my tasks this next year is to learn more about Mexico. And, maybe, a few Spanish words. The American blockade of Cuba? This could be a good unintended consequence. Thank you for the comment.