The meal’s sodium content was 2.1 grams (table salt is made up of about 40 percent sodium). The group examined the stated nutritional content of over 300 kid’s meals at McDonald’s, Burger King, Subway and KFC in 37 countries and found that a Popcorn Nuggets Kid’s Meal with fries from KFC in Costa Rica had the highest salt content of all - 5.3 grams. In a separate report, the U.K.-based group World Action on Salt and Health ( WASH) found that children eating fast food in Costa Rica are likely consuming an alarming amount of sodium. Kid’s meals in Costa Rica among the world’s saltiest The study also showed that countries with high rates of junk food consumption tend to have heavier citizens, while countries that stick more to traditional diets, like Bolivia and Peru, have overall thinner populations. “They are engineered to have long shelf lives and to create cravings that can completely overpower people’s innate appetite-control mechanisms and their rational desire to stop eating.” “These products are not designed to meet people’s nutritional needs,” Jacoby said. Argentina had the third highest consumption in Latin America (14th in the overall list), followed by Uruguay (23) and Costa Rica (30).Įnrique Jacoby, PAHO’s Advisor on Nutrition and Physical Activity, said during the presentation of the report in Washington that ultra-processed food and fast food are increasingly a big part of what Latin Americans eat and drink on a regular basis. Of Latin American countries, Chile followed Mexico in consumption of ultra-processed foods, ranking 7th in the overall list. The U.S., Canada, Germany, Mexico and Belgium topped the list, in that order. PAHO compared figures from 80 countries around the world and found that Costa Rica ranks 30th in terms of consumption of ultra-processed food and drink. In Latin America sales of these products from 2000 to 2013 increased by 26.7 percent on average, the investigation found. The study evaluated per capita sales of processed foods, sodas, sweet and salty snacks, breakfast cereals, candy, ice cream, energy drinks, processed fruit and vegetable juices, and spreads and sauces, among others.
In a report released earlier this month, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) said industrially processed foods and drinks and fast food are displacing more traditional, nutritious diets across the Americas and driving the obesity epidemic in Latin America.
Two separate studies released this month have found that Ticos’ eating habits could stand improvement, especially among children.
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