National Policy Response

Country targets

Fat

No targets

Sugar

No targets

Other relevant packaged food policies

Front-of-Package Labeling Regulations

None

Trans Fatty Acid Regulations 

None

Fiscal Policies

None

Packaged Food Sampling

2015-2016

Nutrient types Sodium
Products sampled 1224

 

Sodium:

Methods

Data on packaged food in Costa Rica was obtained by research teams from the Latin American Network of Food Composition Data System (LATINFOODS) as part of a larger study from 14 participating countries: Argentina, Barbados, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, Paraguay, Panama, Peru, and Trinidad and Tobago. Samples were collected from the grocery stores with the greatest market share in each country; nutrition labels were photographed for content. In Costa Rica, 1224 food products were sampled.

Mean, median, standard deviation, interquartile range and minimum and maximum levels were calculated for sodium content (mg/100g) in each of 12 food categories and were used for comparison with the regional target level for sodium.

Data source

Sodium Levels in Packaged Foods Sold in 14 Latin American and Caribbean Countries: A Food Label Analysis

Citation: Arcand J, Blanco-Metzler A, Benavides Aguilar K, L’Abbe MR, Legetic B. Sodium Levels in Packaged Foods Sold in 14 Latin American and Caribbean Countries: A Food Label Analysis. Nutrients. 2019;11(2):369. Published 2019 Feb 11. doi:10.3390/nu11020369

Contact

Karla Francela Benavides Aguilar
Title/Role: Consultant, CREA (Control de Registros de Alimentos)
Email: [email protected]

Institution leading data collection

The Latin American Network of Food Composition Data System (LATINFOODS)