MEXICO CITY (AP) — About 12% of Mexicans suffer from nutritional insufficiency, according to Mexican authorities, who partly attribute the problem to the consumption of junk food. Authorities told lawmakers the situation is more prevalent in rural areas.
The Ministry of Health stressed on Saturday that the problem often results in anemia, protein deficiency and micronutrient imbalances.
Simón Barquera, director of the Center for Nutrition and Health Research at Mexico’s National Institute of Public Health (CINyS-INSP), said marketing and junk food have been major promoters of harmful consumption patterns.
“Marketing, economic interests and the influence of the junk food industry are the big drivers of consumption by the Mexican population that generate health problems,” Barquera said.
However, it is clear that poverty also plays a role. The council responsible for measuring poverty in Mexico said that in 2020, 22.5% of Mexicans did not have enough income to buy quality nutritious food for themselves and their families.
About 43.9% of Mexicans, or some 55 million people, live below the poverty line, which means that their pocket is not enough to cover all their needs.
Consumer advocacy groups in Mexico say sodas and processed snacks sell well in rural areas, where they are sometimes seen as better, more glamorous or more addictive foods than the traditional corn, bean-based diet. , rice and chilli. .