Ending Trans Fat-The First-Ever Global Elimination Program for a Noncommunicable Disease Risk Factor: JACC International.

Industrially produced trans fat (iTFA) is a harmful compound created as a substitute for animal and saturated fats. Estimated to cause up to 500,000 deaths per year, it is replaceable. In 2018, Resolve to Save Lives, the World Health Organization (WHO), Global Health Advocacy Incubator, and NCD Alliance partnered to achieve global trans fat elimination.

Civil society's role in improving hypertension control in Latin America.

Despite effort in Latin America to implement the HEARTS initiative, hypertension control is still inadequate. There are many advances in the medical and technical arena, but little to promote political and systemic change. The vibrant civil society that has advanced policy change in tobacco control, food policy, and other public health initiatives can make a crucial contribution to prioritize hypertension control in the political agenda, ensure sustainable funding, promote the procurement of affordable and effective medications, and expand community demand for action.

[Benefits and potential risks of intensive goals in the treatment of arterial hypertension. Systematic review and meta-analysis of clinical trials].

Introduction And Objectives: There is controversy regarding the most appropriate goals for blood pressure control. We assess the benefits and risks of chossing different therapeutic thresholds.

Methods: We perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of large clinical trials in order to assess the impact of different therapeutic strategies on the reduction of cardiovascular events and the development of serious adverse effects.

Food advertising on Argentinean television: are ultra-processed foods in the lead?

Objective: To describe the number of processed and ultra-processed food (PUPF) advertisements (ads) targeted to children on Argentinean television (TV), to analyse the advertising techniques used and the nutritional quality of the foods advertised, and to determine the potential exposure of children to unhealthy food advertising in our country.

Design: Five free-to-air channels and the three most popular children's cable networks were recorded from 07.00 to 22.

Analysis of a voluntary initiative to reduce sodium in processed and ultra-processed food products in Argentina: the views of public and private sector representatives.

The Less Salt, More Life program was the first voluntary salt reduction initiative in Argentina. This article analyzes the perspectives of the stakeholders involved in this voluntary agreement between the Ministry of Health and the food industry to gradually reduce sodium content in processed foods. This exploratory case study used a qualitative approach including 29 in-depth interviews with stakeholders from the public and private sectors and identified the role of the different stakeholders and their perceptions regarding the challenges encountered in the policy process that contribute to the debate on public-private partnerships in health policies.

Analysis of cigarette demand in Argentina: the impact of price changes on consumption and government revenues.

Objective:: To estimate cigarette demand and to simulate a tax policy targeted to reduce tobacco consumption.

Materials And Methods:: Demand was estimated using a vector error correction model. Simulation exercises present the impact of a tax increase on consumption and revenues.

Use of Smoking Cessation Interventions by Physicians in Argentina.

Background: Physician-implemented interventions for smoking cessation are effective but infrequently used. We evaluated smoking cessation practices among physicians in Argentina.

Methods: A self-administered survey of physicians from six clinical systems asked about smoking cessation counselling practices, barriers to tobacco use counselling and perceived quality of training received in smoking cessation practices.

Effectiveness of an Intervention to Teach Physicians How to Assist Patients to Quit Smoking in Argentina.

Introduction: We evaluated an intervention to teach physicians how to help their smoking patients quit compared to usual care in Argentina.

Methods: Physicians were recruited from six clinical systems and randomized to intervention (didactic curriculum in two 3-hour sessions) or usual care. Smoking patients who saw participating physicians within 30 days of the intervention (index clinical visit) were randomly sampled and interviewed by telephone with follow-up surveys at months 6 and 12 after the index clinical visit.

Sodium content in processed foods in Argentina: compliance with the national law.

Background: Despite the body of evidence that documents the unfavorable effects of excessive sodium consumption on blood pressure and cardiovascular health, public health efforts to decrease sodium consumption have been limited to a few countries. Argentina is the first country in Latin America to regulate sodium content of processed foods by means of a national law. The objective of this cross-sectional quantitative study is to provide a baseline comparison against the reduction targets set by the national law before its entry into force.

Real price and affordability as challenges for effective tobacco control policies: an analysis for Argentina.

Objective: To describe the evolution of cigarettes' real price and affordability during the last decade in Argentina.

Methods: To analyze the real price of cigarettes, the weighted average monthly price of a pack of 20 cigarettes was divided by the consumer price index (CPI) from 2004 to 2014. The relative income price (RIP) was evaluated for the same period, defining RIP as the percentage of the income required to buy 100 packs of 20-per-pack cigarettes.

Smoke-free environments: age, sex, and educational disparity in 25 Argentinean cities.

Background: There is scarce evidence of secondhand smoke (SHS) and disparity in developing countries. We evaluated the relationship between socio-demographic variables and secondhand smoke-related factors in Argentina.

Methods: We conducted a randomized telephone survey (2008/2009) in 25 Argentinean cities.

Smokefree policies in Latin America and the Caribbean: making progress.

We reviewed the adoption and implementation of smokefree policies in all Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC) countries. Significant progress has been achieved among LAC countries since the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) was adopted in 2005. Both national and sub-national legislation have provided effective mechanisms to increase the fraction of the population protected from secondhand tobacco smoke.

Economic evaluation of a 100% smoke-free law on the hospitality industry in an Argentinean province.

Objectives: To assess the economic impact of a 100% smoke-free law on bars and restaurants in an Argentinean province.

Materials And Methods: We conducted a time series analysis of restaurant and bar revenues in the province of Santa Fe 31 months before and 29 months after the implementation of the 100% smoke-free environment law. The neighboring province of Entre Rios without smoking restrictions at the time of this study, was used as the control province.

International collaborative project to compare and monitor the nutritional composition of processed foods.

Background: Chronic diseases are the leading cause of premature death and disability in the world with overnutrition a primary cause of diet-related ill health. Excess energy intake, saturated fat, sugar, and salt derived from processed foods are a major cause of disease burden. Our objective is to compare the nutritional composition of processed foods between countries, between food companies, and over time.

The role of organized civil society in tobacco control in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Civil society has been the engine that has permitted many of the accomplishments seen in tobacco control in Latin America and the Caribbean. However, the role of civil society is not clearly understood. Civil society plays five main roles: advocate, coalition builder, provider of evidence-based information, watchdog and service provider.

Informing effective smokefree policies in Argentina: air quality monitoring study in 15 cities (2007-2009).

Objective: To evaluate indoor air pollution in hospitality venues in Argentina.

Material And Methods: PM₂.₅ levels were measured in a convenience sample of venues in 15 cities with different legislative contexts following a protocol developed by Roswell Park Cancer Institute.

The impact of a 100% smoke-free law on the health of hospitality workers from the city of Neuquén, Argentina.

Objectives: The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of 100% smoke-free environment legislation on respiratory and sensory irritation symptoms and respiratory function among bar and restaurant workers from the city of Neuquén, Argentina.

Methods: Pre-ban and post-ban studies without a comparison group in an Argentinean city were conducted. A baseline survey and spirometric measurements were performed with a total of 80 bar and restaurant workers 1 month before (October 2007) and 3 months after (March 2008) the implementation of the new 100% smoke-free legislation.

Tobacco Industry Strategies to Obstruct the FCTC in Argentina.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the strategies pursued by the tobacco industry (TI) to interfere with the ratification of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) in Argentina. METHODS: We conducted semi-structured interviews about the FCTC, the TI and the legislative process with 3 legislators, 4 public health officials, 1 representative of the tobacco growers and two tobacco-control advocates. We reviewed 6 newspapers from the 4 tobacco growing provinces, searched TI documents in the Legacy Tobacco Documents Library and reviewed 1624 documents.

Smokefree environments in Latin America: on the road to real change?

Latin American countries are experiencing an increasing burden of tobacco-related diseases. Smoke free policies are cost-effective interventions to control both exposure of nonsmokers to the toxic chemicals in secondhand tobacco smoke and to reduce the prevalence of smoking and its consequent morbidity and mortality. The World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control has created momentum in Latin America to implement meaningful tobacco control policies.