Mortality in Mexico by Age, Gender and Health Condition
As Mexico enters the darkest days of the COVID-19 pandemic, it is only appropriate that a debate take place regarding the public health preconditions that have fueled a crisis bringing death and suffering to the country’s population.
Mexico’s federal authorities publish daily detailed data on the health conditions of persons tested for COVID-19. As of last week, the dataset included records for over 4.3 million individuals. Out of this population sample, 35% were reported as having much higher mortality rates in connection with at least one of the following morbitidies: hypertension, obesity, diabetes, smoking, asthma, cardiovascular disease, kidney failure and immunosuppression.
With obesity diminishing life expectancy in the country by an average of 4.2 years and reducing economic output to the tune of 5.3% per year, it is imperative that Mexico take urgent measures—as recommended by the OECD—to improve the diet of a population sickened by ultra-processed and unhealthy products.
In this most important battle for public health, Mexico—where the population gulps Coca-Cola products at a world-record rate of 225 liters/capita/year—must confront the extremely powerful interests of the sugary beverage industry. As a measure of the industry’s economic power, consider that the market capitalization of two of the world’s largest Coca-Cola’s bottlers—Mexican-controlled Coca-Cola FEMSA and Arca Continental— is equivalent to 1.59% of Mexico’s GDP whereas The Coca-Cola Company’s own market capitalization stands at only 1.00% of US GDP.
A variety of efforts have been made on behalf of the ultra-processed and soda industry’s interests. These include non-stop lobbying of the executive and legislative branches, massive advertising campaigns and even the deployment of the Mexican government’s surveillance capabilities against public health researchers and activists working in support of a tax on sugary beverages.
In spite of the industry’s efforts to counter measures to improve public health via a better diet, there are reasons for hope. One such reason is Mexico’s recent implementation of one of the world’s most advanced front-of-the-package labeling laws.