Move FM Global News

MEXICO CITY, Mexico: Officials from Mexico’s Health Department have said that some 12 percent of Mexicans are malnourished, partly blaming the situation on the consumption of junk food.

They also told legislators that the issue is more common in rural areas, and is often reflected in people suffering from anemia, protein deficits and an imbalance in nutrients.

The marketing and consumption of junk food were the main drivers of unhealthy lifestyles, said Simon Barquera, head of the country’s health and nutrition research center.

“Marketing, economic interests and the influence of the junk food industry are the main drivers of consumption patterns in the Mexican population that create health problems,” he said, as quoted by Reuters.

In addition, Mexico’s commission for poverty measurement said that in 2020, 22.5 percent of Mexicans were too poor to buy high quality and nutritious foods for themselves and their families, noting that poverty also plays a key role.

Some 55 million Mexicans, or 43.9 percent of the population, live below the poverty line.

For years, consumer groups in the country have criticized the marketing of soft drinks and snacks in rural areas, where they are sometimes seen as better, more prestigious or more addictive foods than the traditional diet of corn, beans and rice.