Integration of functional and traditional food in emerging markets. Regulatory and substantive aspects of yerba mate and quinoa

Given the rising cost of healthcare, the increase in life expectancy and the wish for a better quality of life, the request for foods and beverages producing a beneficial effect on health has increased worldwide. “Functional food” is a new concept and may play a key role in diseases’ prevention and management. Although its meaning is currently under definition, its role in global health improvement is growing constantly. This article aims at giving a description of existing legislation on functional food in South America, identifying future directions for health and marketing policies. Furthermore, authors provide a literature revision on two products widely consumed in Latin American countries: Yerba Mate and Quinoa. Thanks to their beneficial health effects in terms of disease prevention and promotion of well-being, they may be considered as functional foods with a potential key role in health care

What is breakfast for Mexican children?

In order to face with the concerning rising prevalence of overweight and obesity in childhood, Mexican government has implemented Nutritional Indications (NI) for preschool and schoolchildren. The aim of our study is to investigate what Mexican children have for breakfast and if they meet NI, which recommends that daily breakfast should include one food from each of the three recommended food groups (grains and tubers, animal source food and legumes, fruits and vegetables). We considered a sample of 120 male children aged 3-14 years, their mothers were asked to complete a questionnaire and to fill a breakfast diary for one week. Food was grouped in the three recommended food groups and a further group including fats and sweets was considered. Only 32 children met NI at least once a week (compliant children) and nobody followed NI throughout the week. The analysis on breakfast records showed a low intake of the fruits and vegetables food group. Children were more likely to follow NI when they had breakfast with family members. We show that children do not meet breakfast's NI, but further researches are needed to investigate the long-term impact of NI on Mexican children eating patterns

Eating patterns in Mexico and obesity in children: Results from the NutriRun project

This study aims to compare obesity rates, physical activity levels and compliance with Nutritional Indications (NI), provided by the Estrategia contra el sobrepeso y la obesidad, between three consecutive years (2011, 2012, 2013) in children enrolled in the NutriRun project. Data were collected during the race Carrera Kinder Generación en Movimiento held in Mexico City in 2011, 2012 and 2013. A medical-dietetic questionnaire was administered to parents, investigating what kind of food their children usually had for breakfast, lunch and dinner, physical activity levels and family medical history. Children were weighed and measured and BMI was calculated. In order to evaluate compliance with NI, food reported in the medical-dietetic questionnaire for breakfast and dinner was classified in four main food groups and in other four main food categories for lunch, according to NI. The analysis of overweight/obesity in 2011, 2012 and 2013 revealed a significant reduction (p-value 0.001) of children overweight/obese and an increase of normal weight ones. However, in all the three considered years, they were found to not follow NI because of a poor consumption of fruits and vegetables and of salad. Therefore, further health care policies promoting fruits and vegetables consumption among Mexican families are needed

Eating patterns in Mexico and obesity in children: Results from the NutriRun project

This study aims to compare obesity rates, physical activity levels and compliance with Nutritional Indications (NI), provided by the Estrategia contra el sobrepeso y la obesidad, between three consecutive years (2011, 2012, 2013) in children enrolled in the NutriRun project. Data were collected during the race Carrera Kinder Generaci\uf3n en Movimiento held in Mexico City in 2011, 2012 and 2013. A medical-dietetic questionnaire was administered to parents, investigating what kind of food their children usually had for breakfast, lunch and dinner, physical activity levels and family medical history. Children were weighed and measured and BMI was calculated. In order to evaluate compliance with NI, food reported in the medical-dietetic questionnaire for breakfast and dinner was classified in four main food groups and in other four main food categories for lunch, according to NI. The analysis of overweight/obesity in 2011, 2012 and 2013 revealed a significant reduction (p-value 0.001) of children overweight/obese and an increase of normal weight ones. However, in all the three considered years, they were found to not follow NI because of a poor consumption of fruits and vegetables and of salad. Therefore, further health care policies promoting fruits and vegetables consumption among Mexican families are needed

The contribution of confectionery to the global obesity epidemic: A review

Obesity has become, nowadays, a global concern affecting both developed and developing countries. Nutrition and physical activity represent the major factors influencing energy balance and subsequently weight status. Deciding toward an appropriate intake of all nutrients is seen as necessary to maintain a wholesome lifestyle: among nutrients, sugar plays a major role and its consumption has long been seen as an issue in public health, due to its possible role in displacing or diluting nutrients in the diet and contributing to the epidemic of obesity. A research on Pubmed was assessed to evaluate the impact of confectionery consumption, as sugar source, on the daily energy intake. The studies considered in the current paper generally failed to show that confectionery consumption leads necessarily to a shift of energy intake. Anyway, considering that till now, very few works on this topic were conducted, more researches are necessary to demonstrate the effective influence of confectionery on daily energy intake.</jats:p

Evaluating Food Front-of-Pack Labelling: a pan-European Survey on Consumers’ Attitudes Toward Food Labelling

Nutrition labels on pre-packaged foods have been widely used as a medium to foster healthier eating habits in the general population, to contribute to a reduction in the incidence and prevalence of diet-related conditions. Yet, there is no convincing evidence that food labels are an effective means to achieve the desired effect at population level. Several factors have been suggested to account for this decoupling of efficacy, e.g. difficulties in understanding the information on food-labels. The present paper presents the results of a survey on Europeans’ understanding of nutritional labels and evaluation on the communication tools for their diffusion. A total of 7550 phone interviews were conducted in 16 European Countries: Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, United Kingdom and Hungary. Consumers were asked about their opinion on nutritional information provided at different levels and their commitment to healthy behaviour

Does food advertising influence snacks consumption in Chilean children? Results from an experimental ad libitum study

The present study aimed at assessing the impact of food advertising on snack consumption in Chilean children using an experimental, ad libitum, design. Forty children were enrolled in urban, middle class, school setting. They underwent anthropometric assessment, brand awareness evaluation, and their lifestyle and habits were recorded through a validated questionnaire administered to their parents. A 5-arm design was adopted, consisting in the exposure to five different levels of TV spots and advertising. No significant differences were identified in caloric intake among children randomized to different levels of TV spots and commercials exposure. No significant effects on caloric intake, caloric intake per BMI, and or glycemic load were detected, even after adjustment for confounding factors. This study suggests the need for a better analysis of the contribution of non-traditional factors to obesity onset in children, which can provide high-quality evidence in order to develop effective public health strategies to face childhood obesity epidemic