Food companies are promoting diabetes in poor countries

Food companies are pushing unhealthy food to new markets in poor countries

06/27/2012

The big food companies are pushing with force into the markets of the developing and emerging countries. The result is a massive increase in the consumption of unhealthy foods, such as soft drinks or high-salty, fatty and sugary products, in low and middle-income countries.

According to the research team led by David Stuckler from the Institute of Sociology at the University of Cambridge in the specialist journal, the spread of obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases is rising significantly in developing and emerging countries „PLoS Medicine“. In the past, the increasing income of the population had previously been seen as a key factor in the consumption of unhealthy foods, but the study by David Stuckler, an international research team, shows that the distribution strategies of food companies play a much greater role here.

Consumption of unhealthy foods verified on the basis of sales data
Based on the sales data available from 1997 to 2010 on unhealthy food, drink and tobacco, British, Indian and US researchers identified the spread of potentially harmful products. „Data includes both per capita volumes for packaged foods, including snacks, snacks, ice creams, oils and fats, processed frozen foods, dried processed foods, preserves, soft drinks, hot drinks, and ready meals“, explained the scientists in the „PLoS Medicine“-Items. In addition, according to the researchers, data on retail sales of alcohol and tobacco have been taken into account. Forecasts for the future could also be shown for the future based on the sales forecasts up to 2016.

Multinational corporations are pushing into food markets in developing countries
In the analysis of the data, the researchers found that the sale of unhealthy food in countries with low or average income per capita rises far more than in the industrialized nations. According to the researchers, the growth rates for the consumption of unhealthy foods are often even higher than they used to be in the industrialized nations. But not the growing prosperity is the cause of this development, but the strategy of the major food companies. „Multinational companies now have a penetration of food markets in middle-income countries“ Similar to high-income countries, Stuckler and colleagues write. With the massive sales of unhealthy foods also increase the risk of obesity and chronic diseases such as diabetes or cardiovascular disease, the researchers report. There is also a strong correlation between the consumption of unhealthy foods and the consumption of tobacco or alcohol, „what a set of common tactics“ the producers of unhealthy products are closing, according to the international research team. Among the major food companies such as Nestlé, Unilever, Kraft, Pepsi or Danone, the massive presence on the ground is the key to increasing sales. The income of the population plays only a minor role here, explained Stuckler and colleagues.

Rising consumption of unhealthy foods not consequence of economic growth
The development of income and the consumption of unhealthy food are not directly related, the researchers demonstrated the example of Mexico and Venezuela. In Mexico, after the conclusion of a free trade agreement with the USA in the 1990s, the consumption of soft drinks containing sugar increased massively and now stands at 300 liters per capita per year. Associated with this was a significant increase in weight problems among the population and today, according to the researchers, Mexico is the developing country with the highest proportion of overweight children. Venezuela, on the other hand, has not concluded a corresponding free trade agreement and the consumption of unhealthy soft drinks has remained stable since the 1990s, even though the country has a comparable income development to Mexico. In other words, if the borders for the big food companies are opened, they push into the market and the consumption of unhealthy food increases. Although the consumption of unhealthy products has so far always been considered in the context of income development, it is actually much more with the „foreign direct investment and free trade agreements“, write Stuckler and colleagues. However, economic growth does not necessarily lead to higher consumption of unhealthy foods.

Encouraged food companies to act responsibly
For the health of the population in developing and emerging countries, the strategy of the major food companies poses a considerable risk, especially since the information on the negative consequences of the consumption of particularly greasy, salty or sweet products here are far less well known than in the industrialized nations. The corporations are called upon to act responsibly and should significantly reduce the salt, sugar and fat content of their products, according to the experts' demand. Although companies are willing to take such steps, they are usually not implemented in developing and emerging countries, complained Stuckler and colleagues. (Fp)

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Picture: Rike