EPC “Awards” Manipulative Food Advertising to Children
Thursday, March 12th, 2009As part of its efforts to get Mexican authorities to regulate the advertising of food and beverages to children, and to hold industry accountable to its commitments under its recently adopted national code of self-regulation on the issue, the consumer group The Power of the Consumer (EPC) recently released what it calls “awards” recognizing “the […]
ACODECO “Declares War on Junk Food”
Wednesday, March 11th, 2009To commemorate World Consumer Rights Day, Panama’s Authority for Consumer Protection and Defense of Competition (ACODECO) hosted a forum on “No to the Marketing of Unhealthy Foods Targeted at Girls and Boys.” ACODECO’s Administrator, Pedro Meilán, opened the forum by noting the Authority’s role in protecting consumers in Panama and the alarming fact that Panama […]
LAC Consumer Groups Target “Junk Food”
Thursday, December 25th, 2008In my earlier post about the Mexican industry code on advertising of food and beverages directed to children, I discussed efforts in Latin America (here, here, here, here, here and here) to get high-calorie and/or high-fat and/or high-sugar and/or salty foods out of schools and the push by consumer groups, led by Consumer International (CI), […]
A Mexican Code on Food/Beverage Advertising to Children
Tuesday, December 16th, 2008Recently the food and beverage industry in Mexico agreed on Code of Self-Regulation on the Advertising of Food and Beverages Directed at Children (Código de Autorregulación de Publicidad de Alimentos y Bebidas dirigida a Público Infantil – PABI). The code of conduct, signed by companies representing about 70% of advertising in Mexico in the sector […]
Argentina Lurches Toward an Obesity Law…
Monday, August 11th, 2008By all accounts, Argentina’s Senate will pass an “obesity law” this coming week. If President Cristina Fernandez signs it, Argentina will become the first Latin American or Caribbean (LAC) country to adopt a national law or regulation directly addressing the issue. [Some Brazilian states have laws on aspects of the issue, and several nations currently […]
Cardiovascular Disease in LAC Revisited
Tuesday, July 3rd, 2007Fellow bloggers, has this ever happened to you? You run across an important piece of news — a breakthrough study just released, for example — and are tempted to simply cut-and-paste into your blog the Reuters or other news blurb, or a related press release, or you’re tempted to make a “quick-and-dirty” post making (perhaps […]
PAHO Throws Down the Gauntlet on Trans-Fats
Friday, June 8th, 2007Temas Note: Although the task force report mentioned in these Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) press releases was actually approved several weeks ago, it was not formally released to the general public until today (07 June). Rather than release it quietly and let it be approved without much public discussion (outside of PAHO and Health […]
Hearts and Minds in LAC II: What LAC Thinks About CVD
Friday, November 3rd, 2006Trying to Find the Story Behind the Story Behind LAC’s CVD In Part I of “Hearts and Minds in LAC,” I expressed surprise that World Heart Day did not receive greater attention in Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) nations, given the region’s problem with cardiovascular disease (CVD). I also admitted that I myself had not […]