Baja California will regulate the sale of junk food and sugary drinks to minors

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This initiative seeks to prevent obesity-related diseases in girls, boys and adolescents

The Health Commission of the XXIII Legislature unanimously approved the initiatives of deputies Montserrat Caballero and Julio César Vázquez, who seek to regulate the sale of junk food and sugary drinks in establishments and schools in Baja California, in order to prevent related diseases with obesity in girls, boys, and adolescents.

This is born based on what has been proposed by the World Health Organization, which calls for measures to reduce the consumption of sugary drinks and the high consumption of these in minors because they increase the chances of them being overweight or obese.

The deputies pointed out that the region of the Americas has the highest prevalence of overweight and obesity, with 62% in adults and 25% in children; and at least in this state of the country, obesity is one of the main causes of morbidity.

In turn, they commented that in a forum of the Power of the Consumer and the Alliance for Food Health, it was stated that 40% of the calories that Mexicans consume come from sugary drinks; Likewise, the Federal Undersecretary of Health, Dr. Hugo López Gatell, has explained that the deaths caused by the SARS-CoV2 virus are mainly related to diabetes, cardiovascular diseases or obesity.

Through the initiatives presented by the initialists Montserrat Caballero and Julio César Vázquez, article 48 Bis is added to the Law for the Protection and Defense of the Rights of Girls, Boys and Adolescents of the State, which establishes the following: The authorities of the State and its Municipalities, within the scope of their respective competences, will promote particularly in mothers, fathers, and society in general, the basic nutritional principles for the healthy development of girls, boys and adolescents, trying to keep them away from the consumption of food and high-calorie flavored drinks.

On the other hand, articles 24 and 106 BIS of the State Public Health Law are amended to provide, in the first of them, that the State health, educational, and labor authorities, in their respective areas of competence, will support and promote: The supervision of the nutritional quality of the food and beverages that are provided or sold to children and adolescents in educational institutions of the basic and upper secondary levels in accordance with the provisions of the Official Mexican Standards, in order to avoid those that At the discretion of the State Secretariat of Health, they cause damage to health either by their content or by hygiene and sanitation practices in their preparation, in accordance with the guidelines issued on the matter.

With the amendment, Article 106 BIS is as follows: “The health authority within its competence and in accordance with its financial availability will monitor compliance and application of these measures in vulnerable sectors, especially girls, boys, and adolescents.”.

Finally, article 72 Bis is added to the Baja California Education Law, which reads the following: Non-compliance or non-observance of the provisions contained in this Chapter will be considered actions or omissions contrary to the best interests of children.

Montserrat Caballero Ramírez, said: “These are actions with a view to the future of our population. The integral development of childhood begins with a good diet, and this is a first step to change our way of thinking, acting, and taking care of our health”.

Source: sandiegored.com

Baja California Post