Abstract

Author summaryWhy was this study done? Reformulation of processed foods and beverages has been defined as one of the most cost-effective measures for preventing obesity and cardiometabolic diseases. In June 2016, Chile implemented the first phase of Food Labelling and Advertising Law that mandates the use of front-of-package warning labels, marketing restrictions for unhealthy foods and beverages, and banning of sales at school. A previous study showed no relevant reformulation in anticipation to the initial implementation of the law, but Chilean food and beverage companies had claimed they reformulated 20% of packaged foods after implementation. What did the researchers do and find? We collected information of the nutrient fact panels of packaged foods and beverages previous to the implementation of the law (2015 and 2016; 4,055 items) and <1 year after initial implementation (2017; 3,025 items). We found a significant decrease in the proportion of foods and beverages considered as unhealthy ("high in" energy, sugars, saturated fats, or sodium) from 51% to 44%, mostly in food and beverage groups in which regulatory values were below the 75th percentile of the nutrient or energy distribution. Most frequent reductions were in the proportion of "high-in" sugars products (beverages, milks and milk-based products, breakfast cereals, sweet baked products, and sweet and savory spreads) and "high in" sodium products (savory spreads, cheeses, ready-to-eat meals, sausages, and soups) whereas "high in" saturated fat reductions only took place in savory spreads and "high in" energy among breakfast cereals and savory spreads. Quantile regression analyses showed that most of the changes occurred around regulation cutoff values, with minor shifts on overall energy or nutrient distributions. What do these findings mean? After initial implementation of the first phase of the Chilean Food Labelling and Advertising Law, we observed important decreases in the amount of sugars and sodium in several groups of packaged foods and beverages. Future follow-ups should address the sustainability of such improvements and whether the reported changes translate into healthier diets.