Efforts from different sectors to curb the consumption of ultra-processed foods appear to be insufficient. Overweight figures in Colombia remain discouraging and worrying. The consumption of these products is closely linked to at least two alarming statistics: more than 50% of Colombian adults are overweight, while 24.4% of children between ages 5 and 12 and 17.9% of adolescents also have excess weight.
The data on children, adolescents, and adults comes from the 2015 National Survey of Nutritional Situation (ENSIN), which shows that the problem affects nearly the entire Colombian population. Although these findings are not very recent, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) reported that between 2000 and 2013, sales of ultra-processed foods in Latin America grew by 26.7%, demonstrating a sustained shift in eating patterns.
Ultra-processed foods are designed to be intensely appealing to taste
Meanwhile, data from ANIF, an economic think tank, shows that in Colombia, of the 2.2 trillion pesos collected from health taxes, 1.9 trillion come from ultra-processed products, reflecting their significant role in the economy and, above all, in everyday consumption. Faced with this scenario, experts insist on the need to better understand their characteristics and effects on health.
Ultra-processed foods are products made from multiple ingredients and additives such as colorants, preservatives, and sweeteners, designed to improve taste, appearance, and shelf life, explains an article from the National University News Agency. These foods are characterized by their high content of sugars, sodium, and fats, as well as their low nutritional value, making them a frequent but unhealthy choice in daily diets.
“These products involve a higher degree of industrial modification and are usually designed to be intensely appealing to taste, but this formulation does not respond to nutritional criteria, rather to consumer acceptance,” Tania Yadira Martinez, professor in the Department of Human Nutrition at the National University of Colombia (UNAL), explained to the media outlet.
In contrast, the result of their consumption is increased excess weight, a condition associated with diseases such as obesity, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular conditions, hypertension, and even some types of cancer.
Children the main target of ultra-processed campaigns
The UNAL News Agency warns that marketing is one of the main tools used to promote the consumption of these products. The industry employs strategies such as advertising on television and social media, the use of influencers, promotions, and eye-catching packaging, all of which increase visibility and reinforce their presence in everyday life.
Through these strategies, children have become one of the primary target audiences. Academic studies indicate that sugary drinks, sweets, ice cream, and breakfast cereals account for a large portion of market promotion. PAHO warns that early exposure to this advertising influences food preferences and is associated with increased overweight and obesity, the article adds.
Additionally, Professor Martinez noted that “before, we were more in rural areas, and now urbanization has had an effect. This makes lifestyles faster and simpler foods are needed for consumption.” This shift has reduced the time devoted to food preparation and has favored ready-to-eat products, displacing traditional practices such as cooking at home and progressively transforming diets toward more practical and easily accessible options.
Although Colombia has regulations such as Law 2277 of 2022, which introduced so-called health taxes on sugary drinks and ultra-processed products with high levels of sugars, sodium, or saturated fats, and established front-of-package warning labels, experts say promoting healthy eating habits remains a challenge. Regulating advertising, improving school environments, and ensuring access to fresh foods remain priority actions.