Brazil

 INFORMAS in Brazil is coordinated/articulated by Dr Ana Paula Bortoletto Martins (Idec – Brazilian Institute for Consumers Defense). We are conducting six modules: food composition, food labelling, food promotion, food prices, private sector and food EPI. The first module is being conducted by Dr Ana Clara Duran, researcher from the Center for Epidemiological Studies in Health and Nutrition/University of São Paulo (Nupens/USP). Food labelling modules is included in a research project coordinated by Idec in collaboration with Nupens/USP. Food promotion module is coordinated by Idec and is being conducted together with Dr Rafael Claro and Dr Paula Horta’s team from the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). Food prices module is being conducted by Dr Rafael Claro from UFMG. The private sector module is part of a research project conducted by the PhD student Aline Mariath at the School of Public Health at USP (FSP/USP). And the food EPI module is being conducted by Dr Elisabetta Recine from the University of Brasília (UnB), Dr Andréa Sugai from the Federal University of Goiás (UFG), Dr Ana Carolina Feldenheimer from the University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), and Dr Paulo Castro from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ).

 

Food composition and food labelling data collection and data entry were conducted together in supermarkets of São Paulo and Salvador are completed. We published two scientific papers regarding trans fat and health and nutrition claims according to the INFORMAS classification system; a paper about nutrient profile model is in press; a paper about whole grains is under review; and papers regarding promotional strategies on labels, the use of commodities in ultra-processed foods (UPP) and content of sodium in UPP and voluntary agreements are being developed.

 

The first round of food promotion data collection ended in April 2018, based on the recording during eight days of the three most popular channels of the Brazilian open TV (432 hours of recording). Based on this dataset, we developed four papers: the description of all the food ads based on the INFORMAS classification system (in press), food ads targeted at children, persuasive strategies in food ads, and nutrient profile of the foods and beverages advertised on Brazilian TV (under review). In April 2019, we run the second round of the data collection of TV food and beverage advertisements, and the third round was in September 2019. The data entering of the final round is ongoing. We plan to develop longitudinal analysis of the three rounds of data collection to be published until the end of 2020.

 

The food prices data collection and data entry are finished. We published two scientific papers in 2019. Diet cost application is currently being adapted for use with Brazilin information.

 

The private sector module has started on February 2017. We ended the process of adapting and translating the instruments for the pilot, as well as the data collection on restaurants and supermarkets. Restaurants and supermarkets were been contacted; only two companies responded, but none engaged in the process. These results were presented in poster format in Guadalajara, Mexico, in November 2018 (SLAN). Due to lack of personnel and to the fact that Aline Mariath is carrying out research on corporate political activity of the soda industry in the Brazilian Legislature for her PhD thesis, data collection on soft drink and packaged food companies has had to be suspended.

 

The food EPI module was being conducted by a researcher of the UK, who finished the first draft about food and nutrition security policies in 2016, and the other steps proposed in the protocol were not carried out. In 2018, the conduction of this module changed, and now the Brazilian researchers from UnB, UFG, UERJ and UFRJ are in charge. The project has funding from CNPq. The team finished the revision of the items of the questionnaire and presented to the policy makers for the first validation by the end of 2019. The following steps are planned for 2020: i) Rating government policies and actions and ii) identification and prioritization of concrete actions.

Ana Paula Bortoletto MartinsAna Paula Bortoletto Martins

Leader of the Program of Health and Sustainable Diets

Brazilian Institute for Consumers Defense – Idec and Center for Epidemiological Studies in Health and Nutrition/University of São Paulo – Nepens/USP

Phone: +55 11 3874-2163

Email: Ana Paula Bortletto Martins

LLaís Amaral Mais, MScaís Amaral Mais

Researcher in food and nutrition

Brazilian Institute for Consumers Defense – Idec

Phone: +55 11 3874-2165

Email: Laís Amaral Mais

Teresa Donato LiporaceTeresa Donato Liporace

Manager of Policies and Programs

Brazilian Institute for Consumers Defense – Idec

Phone: +55 21 98620-0120

Email: Teresa Donato Liporace

 

Professor Carlos Augusto MonteiroProfessor Carlos Augusto Monteiro

Professor and researcher in nutrition and public health School of Public Health, University of São Paulo

Head of the Center for Epidemiological Studies in Health and Nutrition – NUPENS/USP Email: Prof Carlos Augusto Monteiro

Ana Carolina Feldenheimer da Silva

Professor State University of Rio de Janeiro – UERJ

Phone: +55 21 982778379

E-mail: Ana Carolina Feldenheimer da Silva

 

aline mariathAline Marath, MSc

Nutritionist and PhD student

Brazilian Chamber of Deputies and University of São Paulo – USP

E-mail: Aline Mariath

 

Ana Clara da Fonseca Leitão Duran

Researcher

Center for Epidemiological Studies in Health and Nutrition/University of São Paulo – Nupens/USP

University of Campinas – UNICAMP

Email: Ana Clara da Fonseca Leitão Duran

 

Andrea Sugai

Professor Federal University of Goiás – UFG

Phone: +55 61 98366.6900

Email: Andrea Sugai  

 

Elisabetta Recine

Professor University of Brasília – UnB

Phone: +55 61 3107-0090

Email: Elisabetta Recine  

 

Rafael Moreira Claro

Professor and researcher at the Department of Nutrition

Federal University of Minas Gerais – UFMG

Email: Rafael Moreira Ciaro

 

Patricia Chaves Gentil

Consultant in food and nutrition

Brazilian Institute for Consumers Defence -Idec

Email: Patricia Chaves Gentil 

 

 

Paula Martins Horta

Professor and researcher

Federal University of Minas Gerais – UFMG

Email: Paula Martins Horta

 

 

Paulo Cesar Castro Junior

Professor and researcher

Federal University of Rio de Janeiro – UFRJ

Email: Paulo Cesar Castro Junior

 

 

 

Module

Status (as of February 2020)

Outputs

Public Sector (Food EPI)
  • First draft about food and nutrition security policies completed
  • Revision of the items of the questionnaire ongoing.
  • First draft of the questionnaire presented to policy makers for the first validation in the end of 2019.
  
Private Sector
  • Adaptation of the instruments for the pilot and data collection and analysis on restaurants and supermarkets completed.
  • Research on corporate political activity in the Brazilian Legislature being carried out.

 

 22-27
Food Composition
  • Data collection, data entry and data analysis completed.
  • Development of scientific three scientific papers ongoing.
  • Two papers published, one in press and one under review.
 1-7
Food Labelling
  • Data collection, data entry and data analysis completed.
  • Development of scientific three scientific papers ongoing.
  • Two papers published, one in press and one under review.
 1-7
Food Promotion
  • Data collection, data entry and data analysis completed (first round – April 2018).
  • One scientific paper in press, three papers under review (2018).
  • Data collection completed (second and third rounds – April and September 2019).
  • Data entry ongoing (September 2019).
 8-18
Food Prices
  • Data collection and data entry completed
  • Two scientific papers published.

19-21
Food Retail    
Food Provision    
Food Trade & Investment    

Outputs (publications, reports, conference presentations)

  1. Poster “Comparison of nutrient profiling systems for implementing new front-of-package nutrition labeling in Brazil” presented at SLAN 2018.

 

  1. Scientific paper “Trans fat labelling information on Brazilian packaged foods” published in Nutrients in September 2019.

 

  1. Scientific paper “Prevalence of health, nutrition, and environment-related claims in the Brazilian package food supply” published in Nutrients in December 2019.

 

  1. Scientific paper “Role of different nutrient profiling models in classifying the packaged food supply in Brazil” approved in Public Health Nutrition in December 2019 (in press).

 

  1. Scientific paper “”Whole grains” claims on food packages marketed in Brazil“ submitted to Appetite in January 2020.

 

  1. Scientific paper “Adherence to voluntary sodium reduction agreements in Brazil” to be submitted to Preventive Medicine in March 2020.

 

  1. Scientific paper “Promotion of ultra-processed foods in Brazil: combined use of claims and labelling promotional features” to be submitted (journal to be decided) in April 2020.

 

  1. Poster “Food-related advertisements on Brazilian television” presented at SLAN 2018.

Poster “Ultra-processed food products and fast food restaurant advertisements on

Brazilian television” presented at SLAN 2018.

 

  1. Oral presentation “Abusividade da publicidade de alimentos na televisão aberta brasileira” at CONAN 2019 (awarded as one of the best oral presentations).

 

  1. Oral presentation “Estratégias de marketing da publicidade de alimentos na televisão aberta brasileira” at CONAN 2019.

 

  1. Oral presentation “Qualidade nutricional de alimentos e bebidas não alcoólicas publicizados nos três principais canais da televisão brasileira” at CONAN 2019.

 

  1. Scientific paper “Abusive advertising of ultra-processed food and drink products on Brazilian television” submitted to Health Promotion International in July 2019.

 

  1. Scientific paper “Nutritional quality of foods and non-alcoholic beverages advertised on Brazilian television” submitted to BMC Public Health in November 2019.

 

  1. Scientific paper “Persuasive marketing strategies used in unhealthy food and beverage advertisements on Brazilian free-to-air television” submitted to the International Journal of Public Health in January 2020.

 

  1. Scientific paper “Ultra-processed food and beverage advertising on Brazilian television by INFORMAS benchmark” published in Public Health Nutrition in February 2020.

 

  1. Oral presentation “Persuasive and abusive strategies directed to children on food and beverage advertising” at WPHNC 2020 (March/April).

 

  1. Poster “Marketing of food products high in sodium on Brazilian free-to-air television” at WPHNC 2020 (March/April).

 

  1. Oral presentation “Big Food/Soda’s role in promoting unhealthy food advertising on Brazilian television” at WPHNC 2020 (March/April).

 

  1. Scientific paper “Association between the price of ultra-processed foods and obesity in Brazil” published in Nutrition, Metabolism & Cardiovascular Diseases in December 2019.

 

  1. Scientific paper “What to expect from the price of healthy and unhealthy foods 6 over time? The case from Brazil” published in Public Health Nutrition in January 2020.

 

  1. Scientific paper “Impact of the Brazilian Dietary Guidelines on the cost of diet: an analysis by linear programing” in final revision, to be submitted to Cadernos de Saúde Pública in May 2020.

 

  1. Poster “Commitments and disclosure practices of supermarkets in Brazil: results from INFORMAS’ BIA-Obesity Tool” presented at SLAN 2018.

 

  1. Poster “Commitments and disclosure practices of quick service restaurants in Brazil: results from INFORMAS’ BIA-Obesity Tool” presented at SLAN 2018.

 

  1. Scientific paper “Atividade política corporativa da indústria de alimentos” [Corporate political activity of the food industry] submitted to Saúde em Debatein September 2019.

 

  1. Scientific paper “Atuação da indústria de alimentos e bebidas ultraprocessados como um grupo de interesse” [Ultraprocessed food and drink industries operating as an interest group] in press in Revista de Saúde Pública.

 

  1. Scientific paper “Ultra-processed food industry regulation for tackling obesity and diet-related non-communicable diseases in the Brazilian legislature: many proposals, no enactment” submitted to Public Health Nutrition in February 2020.

 

  1. Oral presentation “Electoral campaign contributions: obstacle to sugary drinks regulation in the Brazilian legislature?” at WPHNC 2020 (March/April).

 Additional Publications

  • The International Development Research Centre (IDRC) is the funder for Food Labelling and Food Promotion modules. Bloomberg Philanthropies is also a funder for the Food Labelling module and Food Composition modules.
  • The National Council of Scientific and Technological Development. (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico – CNPq) is the funder for the food EPI module.
  • The Food prices and Private Sector Module have no Funder.
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