INSP Inaugurates Global Hub for Health, Food Policy Innovation

Mexico will expand its role in global nutrition and health policy through the newly announced Global Hub for Health and Food Policy Innovation, a platform designed to support regions in Africa and Asia as they strengthen strategies to prevent chronic diseases, according to the National Institute of Public Health (INSP).

Eduardo Lazcano, Director General, INSP, said Mexico’s long-term work in nutrition research has positioned the country as a reference point for evidence-based public health interventions. He attributed this progress to over two decades of research led by the Center for Research in Nutrition and Health (CINyS).

Lazcano said CINyS’ contributions have helped quantify the scale of obesity and overweight in Mexico, guide regulatory proposals on food and beverage marketing, support front-of-pack warning labels and promote breastfeeding and physical activity as key public health priorities. He added that this record has supported the designation of CINyS-INSP as a forthcoming World Health Organization Collaborating Center on population nutrition and chronic disease prevention.

Simón Barquera, Director, CINyS, presented the Global Hub for Food Policy Innovation as an initiative that will link Mexican expertise with research networks and policymakers in Latin America, Africa and Asia. The hub aims to formalize INSP’s leadership in capacity building, evidence generation and technical guidance to governments and international organizations responding to diet-related diseases.

Barquera emphasized that the seminar brought together researchers from five continents under the INFORMAS network, which studies food environments and their health implications. He said this exchange reflects growing international momentum to understand how food systems influence chronic disease trends.

Representing the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Mexico, Lina Pohl described INSP as an essential space for scientific analysis and policy development designed to support food system transformation. 

During the event, authorities unveiled a plaque commemorating the 2025 award granted by the UN Interagency Task Force on the Prevention and Control of Noncommunicable Diseases, which recognized Mexico and INSP for their contributions to strengthening food environments and advancing chronic disease prevention. 

Chronic non-communicable diseases have become the main cause of death among Mexicans, mirroring a global trend where these conditions are responsible for 41 million deaths each year, according INSP. Obesity, a major risk factor for both hypertension and diabetes, also remains a significant public health issue. The percentage of obese adults in Mexico increased slightly from 35.30% in 2018 to 36.90% in 2022. Despite this marginal increase, obesity continues to be a pervasive problem that requires ongoing attention and intervention. “The health and life quality implications of eating too many calories are manyfold, starting with obesity, and its strong correlation to cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes,” writes Eduardo Orozco, CEO, alohome, for MBN.