Nutritionist recommends food warning labels

Putting food warning labels on processed food could help Filipinos avoid non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and chronic kidney disease (CKD), according to a nutritionist.

In an interview with the DAILY TRIBUNE, Francis Gio Lopez said food warning labels would help consumers avoid unhealthy food.

“This is important for consumers because it can help prevent misleading claims by food companies,” Lopez explained in Filipino.

“This will be very helpful for Filipinos because it will make it easier for us to categorize foods that are a good choice compared to others that are not,” he added.

Food warning labels are one type of front-of-pack label that is put on food and drink products that exceed thresholds for various risk nutrients, such as sugar, sodium, trans fat and saturated fat.

Some Latin American countries, including Puerto Rico, Chile and Mexico are implementing this measure.

“It will help the general population to avoid NCDs like hypertension, type 2 diabetes, and CKD,” Lopez reiterated.

“For example a food product, like soda, that is high in sugar will have a warning label that shows what are the possible effects if consumed regularly. Then, the [public would] think how frequently they [would] consume it,” he furthered.

Hypertension is the leading cause of death in the country and as of 2022, 37 percent of Filipinos have hypertension.

Additionally, the National Kidney and Transplant Institute estimates that about 2.3 million Filipinos have CKD.

Meanwhile, in 2021, an estimated 4.3 Filipinos were diagnosed with diabetes.

Lopez noted that food companies also need to step up in the production and development of food that can be healthy alternatives to the food available today.

Citing a study in Peru, ImagineLaw project manager Laurence Millian said that 28 percent of food products with warning labels were reformulated.

“When warning labels were introduced on products, 28 percent of the products were reformulated. The composition of the food was changed to remove the warning label,” Millian said during a media roundtable on Friday.

“Meaning, that the food became healthier. So there’s a real effect because reformulation is happening,” he added.

Senate Bill 2700 or the Healthy Food Marketing Environment Act was filed in the upper chamber earlier this year.

The bill has been pending in the Health and Demography Committee since then.

Its counterpart version in the House of Representatives has yet to be scheduled for a hearing in the Trade and Industry Committee.