Activists and members of civil organizations urged the health authorities of Mexico to regulate ultra-processed products, alcohol, tobacco, and sugary beverages, related to an increase in the number of deaths from non-communicable diseases in the country. In a press conference, the coordinator of the Food Health area at the organization El Poder del Consumidor, Paulina Magaña, noted that Mexico leads in the consumption of ultra-processed products in Latin America, with an average of 214 kilograms per person per year.
In Mexico, nearly 85% of the population consumes sugary beverages regularly, and 69% of these products contain added sugars, which has contributed to the rise of diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, and chronic kidney failure. According to data from the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS), 27% of its budget is allocated to addressing these diseases, equivalent to 109 billion pesos.
In the last 10 years, 932 thousand Mexicans have died due to diseases linked to the consumption of ultra-processed products, representing a significant increase compared to the 59 thousand deaths recorded in 2014. Arturo Sabines, spokesperson for the Alcohol Action Network, pointed out that an increase in deaths related to alcohol and tobacco consumption has been observed in Mexico, primarily affecting young people.
Yahaira Ochoa, spokesperson for the organization Salud Justa MX, mentioned that 63 thousand people die annually in Mexico due to tobacco, and emphasized the importance of implementing policies aimed at consumers and against the tobacco industry to prevent these avoidable deaths. Activists urged the government of President Claudia Sheinbaum and health authorities to immediately implement a public policy to reduce the consumption of these products, following the recommendations of the World Health Organization.
