New legislation in Colombia aims to improve oral and general health

New legislation in Colombia, known as the “junk food law”, aims to improve oral and general health throughout the country. 

The legislation, which places a tax on ultra-processed foods, was passed in November 2023 and represents “a significant step towards addressing many health issues in the country, including oral diseases.” 

In an article published on the FDI World Dental Federation (FDI) news page, FDI and its member the Federación Odontológica Colombiana (FOC) discuss the impact of this new law in the country. 


Read the full interview
 

In this interview, the FOC representative says the aim is to improve the health of Colombians overall. 

"We hope that the new tax will enable us to move towards a healthier society, instilling healthier food habits within the population and ensuring that the risk factors for general and oral health are proactively addressed. This tax follows several public health measures in the country such as Resolution 3803 of 2016, which puts an emphasis on government public actions to reduce sugar consumption.  

“This resolution establishes sugar intake recommendations aimed at promoting a balanced diet for the maintenance of the nutritional and health status according to age group and gender. By implementing the recommendation in this resolution on both individual and group levels, the Colombian population can achieve access to a healthy diet, thereby preventing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs)." 

One key element in the law is what is known as “the front warning labeling system” which, similar to the ingredients panel on Australian processed foods, "enables consumers to easily identify warnings of high content of salt/sodium, added sugars and saturated fat on the packaging of processed foods ... [empowering] individuals to therefore make informed decisions about their food choices." 

FOC says that they “are confident that the implementation of these collective measures will lead to a reduction in the burden of NCDs, including oral diseases, within the country.” 

Read the full article