Abstract
This study aimed to evaluate the composition of the food supply ahead of the implementation of the Chilean Law of Food Labeling and Advertising (Law 20.606) in June 2016. The INFORMAS (International Network for Food and Obesity/Non-communicable Diseases (NCDs) Research, Monitoring and Action Support) framework for monitoring the composition of the food supply was used. The Law’s initial (2016) and final (2019) limits were used to evaluate if foods would receive a “High in” warning for Calories, Sodium, Sugars and/or Saturated Fats (initial/final, solids: >350/275 kcal; >800/400 mg; >22.5/10 g; >6/4 g; liquids: >100/70 kcal; >100/100 mg; >6/5 g; >3/3 g respectively). Foods were excluded if they required reconstitution, had missing information or if total labeled energy was estimated as incorrect (n = 942). In February 2015 and 2016, fieldworkers photographed a purposeful sample of packaged food and beverage products (n = 5421 and n = 5479) from 6 different supermarkets in Santiago, Chile. Seven percent of foods had no added critical nutrients (n = 720). Two-thirds of products had critical nutrients exceeding at least one initial limit indicative of a “high in” warning. Under the final phase limits, only 17% of foods would have zero warning labels. By 2019, 10 of the 17 food and beverage categories studied are predicted to have less than half of their products without a high in sodium warning label. While 8 of the 17 categories studied are predicted to have less than half their products without a high in total sugars or a high in total calories warning label, respectively; while even fewer food and beverage categories are predicted to be without a high in saturated fat warning label. Most products will have to be reformulated to avoid at least one front-of-package warning label.
Highlights
There is a global obesity pandemic and no significant decrease in obesity was observed between1980 and 2013 in 183 countries [1]
If a food or beverage product falls under the purview of the law and has added critical nutrient or energy content above the specified limits, the law mandates that the product carry a front-of-package warning label in the form of a black hexagon that states: “High in Sodium”, “High in Sugars”, “High in Saturated fats”, or “High in Calories” in accordance with the limits surpassed
A packaged food product can have up to four “High in” front-of-package (FOP) warning labels, one for each critical nutrient and calories. These critical nutrient limits are stipulated in the law to be implemented in a step-wise fashion with stricter limits in both 2018 and 2019 (Table 1)
Summary
There is a global obesity pandemic and no significant decrease in obesity was observed between1980 and 2013 in 183 countries [1]. If a food or beverage product falls under the purview of the law and has added critical nutrient or energy content above the specified limits, the law mandates that the product carry a front-of-package warning label in the form of a black hexagon that states: “High in Sodium”, “High in Sugars”, “High in Saturated fats”, or “High in Calories” in accordance with the limits surpassed. A packaged food product can have up to four “High in” front-of-package (FOP) warning labels, one for each critical nutrient and calories These critical nutrient limits are stipulated in the law to be implemented in a step-wise fashion with stricter limits in both 2018 (second phase) and 2019 (final phase) (Table 1)
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