Own-price, cross-price, and expenditure elasticities on sugar-sweetened beverages in Guatemala

BACKGROUND:The obesity epidemic is spreading rapidly in Guatemala, a low/middle income country still struggling with undernutrition. Sugar sweetened beverages (SSBs) consumption is strongly associated with overweight, obesity, and non-communicable diseases. In Guatemala, SSBs are readily available and consumption is high, particularly among adolescents. SSB taxes have been proposed as a cost-effective way to reduce consumption and generate revenues for public health, as has been demonstrated in several countries around the world. OBJECTIVE:To estimate the price, expenditure, quality, and cross-price elasticity of beverage demand using household survey data. METHOD:We conducted a secondary analysis on the 2014 Guatemala Living Conditions National Survey that includes national representative household data on expenditure. Own price, expenditure, quality, and cross-price elasticities of milk, soft drinks, packaged juices, and bottled water were estimated using Deaton's Almost Ideal Demand System (AIDS), controlling for goods' quality. Household characteristics and beverage expenditure are summarized for urban and rural locations using descriptive statistics. RESULTS:Positive expenditure on soft drinks was highest (50.9% of households). Positive expenditure on bottled water was next for urban households (43.8%) and lowest for rural households (10.8%). Own-price elasticities for all beverages are negative and statistically significant. Own-price elasticity of soft drinks is -1.39, suggesting that with a 10% increase in price, consumption would decrease by 13.9%. Expenditure elasticity for soft drinks (0.99) suggests that a 10% household expenditure increase would result in a 9.9% increase in demand. Milk (0.07) and soft drinks (0.07) have positive quality elasticity implying that, as household total expenditure increases, the quality of these beverages, measured by their unit values, also increases. CONCLUSION:Soft drink demand is highly sensitive to changes in prices, suggesting that SSB taxes could significantly reduce consumption, which, in turn, could contribute to curbing the overweight/obesity epidemic

Food marketing targeted to kids : a collaborative and policy-oriented study in Argentina, Bolivia, Guatemala and Peru

The food and beverage industry have established successful relationships with corner store proprietors to guarantee ultra-processed food (UPF) availability in urban and rural Guatemala. Considering that proprietors in Guatemala are unlikely to promote and support the availability and advertising of healthy foods, healthcare policymakers should take this into account when designing, planning and implementing UPF regulations. Due to the pandemic COVID-19 and its possible contribution to the unhealthy food environment, the study also proposes a methodology for monitoring and evaluating internet marketing of multinational fast-food chains. The technical report provides details of the project and its outputs

A qualitative study of children’s snack food packaging perceptions and preferences

Background: Food marketing is pervasive in high- and low/middle-income countries and is recognized as a significant risk factor for childhood obesity. Although food packaging is one of the most important marketing tools to persuade consumers at the point-of-sale, scant research has examined how it influences children’s perceptions. This study was conducted in Guatemala and aimed to understand which snack foods are the most frequently purchased by children and how aspects of food packaging influence their product perceptions. Methods: Six activity-based focus groups were conducted in two elementary public schools with thirty-seven children (Grades 1 through 6, age range 7–12 years old). During each focus group, children participated in three activities: 1) list their most frequently purchased food products; 2) select the picture of their favorite product, the packaging they liked best, and the product they thought was the healthiest from eight choices; and 3) draw the package of a new snack. Results: Children reported purchasing salty snacks most frequently. Most children chose their favorite product based on taste perceptions, which can be influenced by food packaging. Visual elements influenced children’s selection of favorite packaging (i.e., characters, colors) and healthiest product (i.e., images), and persuaded some children to incorrectly think certain foods contained healthy ingredients. When children generated their own drawings of a new product, the most frequently included packaging elements in the drawings were product name, price, product image and characters, suggesting those aspects of the food packaging were most significant to them. Conclusions: Policies regulating package content and design are required to discourage consumption of unhealthy snacks. This might be another public health strategy that can aid to halt the obesity epidemic

Philip Morris involvement in the development of an air quality laboratory in El Salvador

BackgroundThe tobacco industry has organised research institutions to generate misleading data on indoor air quality, including second-hand smoke exposure and health effects.ObjectivesTo describe tobacco industry involvement in the organisation and financial support of an air quality research laboratory in El Salvador.MethodsTobacco industry documents on the internet were systematically searched from August 2007 to February 2008 for air quality studies undertaken in El Salvador, and laboratory personnel were interviewed.ResultsPhilip Morris sought to establish a network of air quality laboratories throughout Latin America. In El Salvador, in 1997, through Tabacalera de El Salvador (a subsidiary of Philip Morris) and the Salvadoran Foundation for Economic Development (FUSADES), the industry organised an air quality research laboratory. FUSADES was part of the industry's Latin American Scientific Network, which consisted of doctors hired as consultants who would send air samples from their research to FUSADES. Philip Morris Scientific Affairs personnel hired LabStat, a Canadian-based laboratory, to provide technical assistance to FUSADES (train and assist the laboratory in air quality measurements). In addition, the Washington-based HMS Group successfully implemented a plan to upgrade the laboratory and obtain international certifications. HMS Group also assisted in searching for sustainable funding for FUSADES, including seeking funds from international aid for Hurricane Mitch.ConclusionAir quality studies that have used the FUSADES laboratory should be carefully interpreted, given the support that this laboratory received from Philip Morris

Dialysis enrollment patterns in Guatemala: Evidence of the chronic kidney disease of non-traditional causes epidemic in Mesoamerica

BACKGROUND: In western Nicaragua and El Salvador, chronic kidney disease (CKD) is highly prevalent and generally affects young, male, agricultural (usually sugar cane) workers without the established CKD risk factors. It is yet unknown if the prevalence of this CKD of Non-Traditional causes (CKDnT) extends to the northernmost Central American country, Guatemala. Therefore, we sought to compare dialysis enrollment rates by region, municipality, sex, daily temperature, and agricultural production in Guatemala and assess if there is a similar CKDnT distribution pattern as in Nicaragua and El Salvador. METHODS: The National Center for Chronic Kidney Disease Treatment (Unidad Nacional de Atención al Enfermo Renal Crónico) is the largest provider of dialysis in Guatemala. We used population, Human Development Index, literacy, and agricultural databases to assess the geographic, economic, and educational correlations with the National Center for Chronic Kidney Disease Treatment’s hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis enrollment database. Enrollment rates (per 100 000) inhabitants were compared by region and mapped for comparison to regional agricultural and daytime temperature data. The distribution of men and women enrolled in dialysis were compared by region using Fisher’s exact tests. Spearman’s rank correlation coefficients were calculated. RESULTS: Dialysis enrollment is higher in the Southwest compared to the rest of the country where enrollees are more likely (p < 0.01) to be male (57.8%) compared to the rest of the country (49.3%). Dialysis enrollment positively correlates with Human Development Index and literacy rates. These correlations are weaker in the agricultural regions (predominantly sugar cane) of Southwest Guatemala. CONCLUSIONS: In Guatemala, CKDnT incidence may have a similar geographic distribution as Nicaragua and El Salvador (higher in the high temperature and sugar cane growing regions). Therefore, it is likely that the CKNnT epidemic extends throughout the Mesoamerican region

Tobacco point-of-sale advertising in Guatemala City, Guatemala and Buenos Aires, Argentina

Convenience stores (120 per city) were chosen from randomly selected blocks in low, middle and high socioeconomic neighbourhoods to assess point of sale tobacco advertising. Compared to Guatemala, ‘No sales to minors’ signs were more prevalent in Argentina. Tobacco advertising is highly prevalent in both Guatemala City, and Buenos Aires. In Guatemala, 60% of stores had cigarette ads and high and middle socioeconomic status neighbourhood stores had more indoor cigarette ads. In Argentina, 80% of stores had cigarette ads and few differences were observed by neighbourhood socioeconomic status. An advertising ban should include point of sale advertising

Gender representation in food and beverage print advertisements found in corner stores around schools in Peru and Guatemala

Objective: The objective of this study is to assess gender representation in food and beverage print advertisements. Results: The study follows a quantitative descriptive approach. Using a content analysis technique, we assessed the gender representation in 200 food and beverage print advertisements found in corner stores located in four areas around schools in Lima, Peru, and Guatemala City, Guatemala (100 advertisements per country). A total of 36% of the print advertisements exhibited a male main character for the case of Guatemala, while in Peru 14% of the print advertisements presented a male main character. Furthermore, in Guatemala, 22% of the main characters were male animated characters. Moreover, 27% of the print advertisements in Guatemala and 17%, in Peru were visually male-oriented. Overall, male characters appeared alongside sports references and in varied settings, whereas female characters were usually holding or consuming the product. In conclusion, although the majority of variables used to assess the representation of gender in food and beverage print advertisements were gender-neutral, those showing gender representation were mostly male-oriented. Despite its limited findings, the study provides evidence for the formulation of public policies and educational content aimed to protect children’s and adolescents’ health from the effects of food marketing

Data on gender representation in food and beverage print advertisements found in corner stores from Guatemala and Peru

Data on gender representation in food and beverage advertisements may allow for a better understanding of how the food industry is targeting different audiences based on gender. Nonetheless, scant research on food and beverage print advertising with a gender approach has been conducted. Therefore, we sought to assess the prevalence of gender focus in print advertisements found inside corner stores in two cities: Guatemala City, Guatemala, and Lima, Peru. Data description: We developed two complementary datasets as part of the study: (1) a dataset of digital photographs of 200 food and beverage print advertisements found in corner stores located near schools (100 ads per country selected according to criteria such as product type, image quality, and uniqueness); (2) a quantitative dataset with data of the content analysis of these photographs. We employed 19 variables to record the general information and gender assessment of the ads. These datasets should allow scholars and public officials to identify gender-specific marketing strategies of the food industry that might impact children’s and adolescents’ nutrition differently.Los datos sobre la representación de género en los anuncios de alimentos y bebidas pueden permitir una mejor comprensión de cómo la industria alimentaria se dirige a diferentes audiencias en función del género. No obstante, se han realizado escasas investigaciones sobre publicidad impresa de alimentos y bebidas con enfoque de género. Por lo tanto, buscamos evaluar la prevalencia del enfoque de género en los anuncios impresos que se encuentran dentro de las tiendas de la esquina en dos ciudades: Ciudad de Guatemala, Guatemala y Lima, Perú. Descripción de los datos: Desarrollamos dos conjuntos de datos complementarios como parte del estudio: (1) un conjunto de datos de fotografías digitales de 200 anuncios impresos de alimentos y bebidas que se encuentran en tiendas de esquina ubicadas cerca de las escuelas (100 anuncios por país seleccionados de acuerdo con criterios como el tipo de producto, calidad de imagen y singularidad); (2) un conjunto de datos cuantitativos con datos del análisis de contenido de estas fotografías. Empleamos 19 variables para registrar la información general y la valoración de género de los anuncios. Estos conjuntos de datos deberían permitir a académicos y funcionarios públicos identificar estrategias de marketing específicas de género de la industria alimentaria que podrían afectar la nutrición de niños y adolescentes de manera diferente

Characteristics of illegal and legal cigarette packs sold in Guatemala

BACKGROUND: Guatemala, as a party to the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC), is required to regulate cigarette packaging and labeling and eliminate illicit tobacco trade. Current packaging and labeling characteristics (of legal and illegal cigarettes) and their compliance with the FCTC is unknown. METHODS: We sought to analyze package and label characteristics of illegal and legal cigarettes sold in Guatemala. We visited the 22 largest traditional markets in the country to purchase illegal cigarettes. All brands registered on tobacco industry websites were purchased as legal cigarettes. Analysis compared labeling characteristics of illegal and legal packs. FINDINGS: Most (95%) markets and street vendors sold illegal cigarettes; 104 packs were purchased (79 illegal and 25 legal). Ten percent of illegal and none of the legal packs had misleading terms. Half of the illegal packs had a warning label covering 26 to 50% of the pack surface. All legal packs had a label covering 25% of the surface. Illegal packs were more likely to have information on constituents and emissions (85% vs. 45%, p < 0.001) and were less expensive than legal ones (USD 0.70 ± 0.7 and 1.9 ± 1.8, p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: In Guatemala, neither illegal nor legal cigarette packs comply with FCTC labeling mandates. Urgent implementation and enforcement of the FCTC is necessary to halt the tobacco epidemic