In Mexico, more than 2.8 liters of soda are consumed per day per person

A Latin American nation in which obesity is already a reality for adults and children, Mexico is fighting back to find solutions through new legislations and partnerships.

With a population of 140 million, Mexico is one of the countries in which obesity and overweight are most prevalent. According to statistics from the Global Obesity Observatory, almost 75% of adults are either overweight or obese, which places Mexico in second place internationally. As far as children are concerned, the country has the highest global incidence, with a marked growth of cases. Today, one in three children is either overweight or obese, with a higher incidence among boys, of whom 25% are obese.

This situation is due to an increasingly sedentary lifestyle, and to an increase in the consumption of soft drinks and ultra-processed foods, whose low cost and wide availability have had an effect on all social classes, often replacing the traditional diet altogether. Certain regions of Mexico, both urban or rural, are now considered food swamps. Sugary drinks and fatty, salty snacks are indeed omnipresent, available in and near schools. According to UNICEF, 40% of calories eaten daily by Mexican children come from ultra-processed foods.

Nevertheless, a new law, established in March 2025 under the new government, has banned the distribution and sale of snacks and soft drinks in schools, also underlining the importance of providing healthy meals and water as the only available drink. According to local studies, this type of control could allow the number of cases of obesity amongst children to shrink by 500,000 a year.

As well as these new governmental strategies, Mexico can count on support from WHO and UNICEF, which have both made it a priority to target a nation in which rates of obesity are among the highest in the world. BNP Paribas Cardif is also present in the country through its local partners, which have the possibility of benefitting from the information and resources available on the MY FOOD MY FUTURE website, to promote healthy habits amongst their employees and clients.

BNP Paribas Cardif contributes to the prevention of obesity throughout Latin America, and Mexico in particular, by supporting the educational programs deployed by UNICEF in schools, with the aim of changing dietary habits and promoting physical activity. In 3 years, more than 1 000 000 children, teenagers and families have been reached by UNICEF.