Hispanic Institute Criticizes Food and Beverage Industry in New Report

The Hispanic Institute has published a report advocating regulation of sugary drinks and processed foods to “help reduce alarmingly high rates of obesity among Hispanics.” Titled “Obesity: Hispanic America’s Big Challenge,” the report claims that 40.4 percent of Mexican Americans and 39.1 percent of Hispanics overall are obese, raising concerns about the rising health care costs associated with diabetes, heart and kidney disease, stroke, and other obesity-related conditions.

In particular, The Hispanic Institute blames rising obesity rates on the “intentional actions” of food and beverage manufacturers, citing Michael Moss’s Salt Sugar Fat (2013) to support its argument that industry seeks “to ‘optimize’ the flavors and textures of foods and beverages in order to make them irresistible to consumers.” Comparing the current opposition to food and beverage regulation to that which initially stymied anti-smoking efforts, the report also faults marketing efforts that allegedly target “young people, Hispanics and African Americans especially,” as well as corporate support for minority organizations that have a stake in regulating the sale of products such as sugar-sweetened beverages.

“If the minority organizations’ past behavior with big tobacco companies is any indication of how they will approach their relationship with sugary drink manufacturers in the future, it is likely they will turn away from those donations and support regulation—but not until there is some incentive for them to change,” concludes the report. “The negative effects of sugary drinks, other bad food choices and lack of regular exercise on the health of the fastest growing group in America will continue until Hispanics use their considerable political clout to influence public policymaking and their economic strength to influence purveyors of those products.” See The Hispanic Institute Press Release, April 24, 2013.