Cadena Elisa M, Gallo Irieleth, Soto Victoria Eugenia
Universidad de Los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia.
PROESA, Universidad Icesi, Cali, Colombia.
BMC Med. 2025 Jul 30;23(1):446. doi: 10.1186/s12916-025-04215-7.
The surge in ultra-processed food (UPF) intake and its association with the upsurge in non-communicable diseases in Colombia have motivated the implementation of multifaceted strategies to enhance the food landscape. These interventions include maximum sodium content in UPF, the introduction of front-of-package warning labeling (FOPL), and the implementation of taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages and UPF with excess sodium, sugars, and/or saturated fat content. These measures can effectively incentivize the reformulation of UPF, an area where empirical evidence remains limited within the country. Thus, this study aims to describe the changes in the content of nutrients between 2015 and 2024, when strategies promoting the reformulation of UPF were implemented.
This study is a quantitative observational repeated cross-sectional that analyzes the shifts in the nutritional profiles of UPF marketed in Colombia from 2015 to 2024. The researchers collected 200 matched product samples, comparing data from the 2015 National Nutrition Survey and in-store surveys conducted in Bogotá in 2024. The median values for energy and key nutrients, including sodium, sugars, saturated fats, calcium, zinc, iron, and vitamin A, were compared. Additionally, the team evaluated the use of FOPL based on established thresholds.
The study revealed substantial decreases in the levels of sugars and sodium in UPF. The median sugar content in beverages plummeted from 8.9 to 4.8 g per 100 ml, whereas median sodium content in food products decreased from 400 to 296 mg per 100 g. Energy counts also saw significant decreases in beverages and processed meats. However, changes in saturated fat content were minimal, and certain subcategories, such as carbonated drinks, even presented increases in sodium. Regarding other micronutrients, an increase in calcium was observed in baked goods, but no consistent patterns emerged for the remaining vitamins and minerals.
Regulatory actions in Colombia appear to have changed the food landscape, fostering reformulation of UPF that drastically curtail the levels of detrimental nutrients such as sugars and sodium. Forthcoming studies should explore the dietary and health implications of these product changes, in addition to scrutinizing shifts in the use of additives and other ingredients.
Not applicable.
在哥伦比亚，超加工食品（UPF）摄入量的激增及其与非传染性疾病激增的关联，促使该国实施多方面战略以改善食品格局。这些干预措施包括规定UPF中的最高钠含量、引入包装正面警示标签（FOPL），以及对含糖饮料和钠、糖及/或饱和脂肪含量过高的UPF征税。这些措施能够有效激励UPF的配方改良，而在该国，这方面的实证证据仍然有限。因此，本研究旨在描述2015年至2024年期间，在实施促进UPF配方改良的战略时，营养成分含量的变化情况。
本研究是一项定量观察性重复横断面研究，分析了2015年至2024年在哥伦比亚销售的UPF营养成分的变化。研究人员收集了200份匹配的产品样本，比较了2015年全国营养调查的数据和2024年在波哥大进行的店内调查数据。比较了能量以及关键营养素（包括钠、糖、饱和脂肪、钙、锌、铁和维生素A）的中位数。此外，研究团队根据既定阈值评估了FOPL的使用情况。
研究显示，UPF中的糖和钠含量大幅下降。饮料中的糖含量中位数从每100毫升8.9克降至4.8克，而食品中的钠含量中位数从每100克400毫克降至296毫克。饮料和加工肉类中的能量含量也显著下降。然而，饱和脂肪含量的变化很小，某些子类产品，如碳酸饮料，甚至钠含量有所增加。关于其他微量营养素，烘焙食品中的钙含量有所增加，但其余维生素和矿物质没有出现一致的变化模式。
哥伦比亚的监管行动似乎改变了食品格局，促进了UPF的配方改良，大幅降低了糖和钠等有害营养素的含量。未来的研究除了要仔细研究添加剂和其他成分使用的变化外，还应探讨这些产品变化对饮食和健康的影响。
不适用。
