University of São Paulo: Expert explains in a podcast about the new nutritional labeling of foods
Produced by the Faculdade de Saúde Pública (FSP) at USP, the Saúde É Pública podcast seeks to bring current issues to the general public that show how public health is everywhere, in different areas of life. As one of the current topics is the new rule for food labels, the latest episode brings Ana Paula Bortoletto, a researcher at the Nucleus of Epidemiological Research in Nutrition and Health, which is part of the FSP, to explain the newly created standard by the National Agency of Health Surveillance (Anvisa).
The standard, which came into force on October 9, 2022, regulates that industrialized foods with high amounts of sugar, fat and/or sodium must receive an alert with the symbol of a magnifying glass on the front of the packaging. The change aims to help Brazilians make more conscious decisions at the time of purchase and promote a healthier and more balanced diet.
Ana Paula, who specializes in public policies related to healthy food environments, talks about the importance of this frontal labeling, details the new changes and also explains which criteria Anvisa used to establish which foods will be considered “high” in nutrients harmful to the health of the population. health.
In addition, she comments on the pressure exerted by the food industry against the new regulation and which aspects could have been better in the formulation of the standard.
A way to spread science
The Saúde é Pública podcast , with a new edition available every 15 days, is on episode number 32 and has already addressed topics such as height deficit and nutritional health of children, monkey pox, childhood vaccination, sleep and pandemic, menstrual poverty, covid -19 and health of the black population, among others. It is produced by the FSP Communications team in partnership with the School of Communications and Arts (ECA) and also with Rádio USP. The project counts on the participation of FSP employees, interns, students and professors.
Based on current themes, the episodes feature researchers from USP and studies carried out at the University, showing the public in an easy and didactic way how the universe of science works.