Inadequate nutrition is the second largest risk factor for death worldwide, accounting for almost 19% of all deaths, and according to the World Health Organization (WHO), child overweight and obesity are one of the major public health problems of the 21st century. Sugar-sweetened beverages are an important source of ’empty’ calories in children and adults, and their excessive consumption causes obesity, type 2 diabetes, several types of cancer, coronary disease and dental problems. The intake of sugar-sweetened beverages in Latin America is very high, so several countries are considering or have begun to implement measures aimed at reducing it.
In this web page you will find information based on scientific evidence generated from an IECS research project that sought to evaluate, through a mathematical model applied in four Latin American countries, which is the burden of disease (i.e. the number of cases and deaths) attributable to the consumption of these beverages, which is the corresponding economic impact of the diseases in the health systems and which is the effectiveness of four health interventions in reducing this double burden: frontal nutritional labeling; the application of taxes; educational measures and modification of the school environment and the prohibition of advertising, promotion and sponsorship. The team of professionals that carried out this work (made up of researchers and health decision makers from universities, research centers and public institutions) hopes that these results will help increase awareness of the health and economic impact of the consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and constitute solid evidence to empower governments and health systems to inform efficient policies that improve the health of the population. While information is initially provided for four countries: Argentina, Brazil, El Salvador, and Trinidad and Tobago, our group of researchers hopes that the study can soon be extended to other Latin American and Caribbean countries.
The research project that originated the information available here was funded by Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC).
Contact us: bebidasazucaradas@iecs.org.ar
The research was carried out between 2018 and 2021 in Argentina, Brazil, El Salvador and Trinidad and Tobago. It was funded by International Development Research Centre (IDRC) from Canadá.
