Yucatán Schools’ Shocking Food Law Violations!

The Permitted Food and Beverage Law, introduced in Yucatán schools since the start of the academic year, has been met with significant non-compliance. According to the Mi Escuela Saludable platform, between 2014 and 2024, 527 violations were reported across 357 schools concerning the sale of food and beverages. The data reveals a concerning trend, with 86.3% of schools selling soda and 97.9% selling junk food.

Several factors contribute to the challenging food environments in schools across the central-south region of Mexico:

• In the Southeast region (Tabasco, Campeche, Quintana Roo, and Yucatán), schools lack access to clean water or healthy foods like fruits, vegetables, seeds, and whole grains. Instead, unhealthy food and beverages are prevalent.
• In the Southwest region (Guerrero, Oaxaca, and Chiapas), 80% of schools sell soda, while only 10% have access to clean water. Again, unhealthy food and beverages are the norm.
• In the East region (Puebla, Veracruz, Tlaxcala, and Hidalgo), less than 20% of schools have access to clean water and healthy foods, with unhealthy food and beverages dominating.
• In the Central South region (Morelos, Estado de Mexico, and Mexico City), 97% of schools sell fried food, sweets, and candies, and 80% have an external offer of ultra-processed products.

Vanessa Gamboa, a representative of Alternativas en Salud y Desarrollo, noted that Yucatán has a legal framework regulating school food, enacted in December 2020. This law prohibits the distribution, sale, and supply of food and drinks high in sodium, fats, and sugars in public preschool and primary schools. However, secondary schools are excluded from this regulation, due to conflicts of interest and the influence of the ultra-processed product industry.