December 2026. Volume 22. Number 4

A law on food labeling and advertising reduced childhood excess weight

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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AVC | Critically appraised articles

Paraje G, Valdés N, Macaya AV, Corvalán C, Popkin B. The impact of Chile´s multipronged food labelling and advertising law on early childhood excess weight: a cohort difference-in-differences study. Lancet. 2026;407(10548):2630-40.

Reviewers: Carvajal Encina F1, Esteban Ibarra M2.
1Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Neonatales. Hospital de La Serena. Escuela de Medicina. Universidad Católica del Norte. La Serena. Chile.
2Servicio de Pediatría. Hospital Británico de Buenos Aires. Argentina.
Correspondence: Fernando Carvajal Encina. Email: fcarvajale@gmail.com
Reception date: 13/09/2026
Acceptance date: 20/10/2026
Publication date: 29/10/2026

Abstract

Conclusions of the study authors: the implementation of the first phase of a food labeling and advertising law (FLAL) in Chile plausibly caused a measurable decrease in the prevalence of excess weight among young school children.

Reviewers´ comments: this is a quasi-experimental study of cohort difference-in-differences approach whose causal identification rests crucially on the parallel trends assumption. This provided verifiable support only for the effect at 6 months of exposure, which was also less convincing for girls. The information stems from the implementation of a multipronged food environment policy; consequently, the effect cannot be attributed only to front-of-package warning labels. Although the individual reduction is modest (2.4-2.9% in the probability of excess weight), its population-level relevance is significant. Its applicability to other contexts will depend on the baseline prevalence and the characteristics of the school system.

How to cite this article

Carvajal-Encina F, Esteban Ibarra M. Una ley de etiquetado y publicidad de alimentos redujo el exceso de peso infantil. Evid Pediatr. 2026;22:41.

AVC | Critically appraised articles

Paraje G, Valdés N, Macaya AV, Corvalán C, Popkin B. The impact of Chile´s multipronged food labelling and advertising law on early childhood excess weight: a cohort difference-in-differences study. Lancet. 2026;407(10548):2630-40.

Reviewers: Carvajal Encina F1, Esteban Ibarra M2.
1Unidad de Cuidados Intensivos Neonatales. Hospital de La Serena. Escuela de Medicina. Universidad Católica del Norte. La Serena. Chile.
2Servicio de Pediatría. Hospital Británico de Buenos Aires. Argentina.
Correspondence: Fernando Carvajal Encina. Email: fcarvajale@gmail.com
Reception date: 13/09/2026
Acceptance date: 20/10/2026
Publication date: 29/10/2026

How to cite this article

Carvajal-Encina F, Esteban Ibarra M. Una ley de etiquetado y publicidad de alimentos redujo el exceso de peso infantil. Evid Pediatr. 2026;22:41.

29/10/2026

Linked Comment

Methodological note