Improving urban food environments to prevent childhood overweight and obesity
Recommendations to support governments and key stakeholders in improving urban food environments in Latin America and the Caribbean.
- Available in:
- Español
- English
Highlights
Latin America and the Caribbean is the second most urbanized region in the world and one of the most affected by childhood overweight and obesity. Overweight in the region is mainly caused by unhealthy urban lifestyles and obesogenic food environments.
Several governments in the region have responded by implementing public policies such as taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages, front-of-pack warning labeling, and regulation on marketing of unhealthy foods and beverages directed to children. Although those policies have proven to be effective, it is also necessary to implement measures at a local level, as the majority of children in the region reside in urban areas.
In this regard, UNICEF Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean commissioned a research study to analyze the foodscape in selected cities -Santiago de Chile and Mexico City- and provide recommendations to support governments and key stakeholders in improving urban food environments and preventing childhood overweight and obesity in cities across the region.
