Washington University Journal of Law & Policy Volume 50 Toward a Healthy First Amendment 2016 NAFTA Largely Responsible for the Obesity Epidemic in Mexico Alana D. Siegel Washington University in St. Louis Follow this and additional works at: https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/law_journal_law_policy Part of the Antitrust and Trade Regulation Commons, Food and Drug Law Commons, and the Health Law and Policy Commons Recommended Citation Alana D. Siegel, NAFTA Largely Responsible for the Obesity Epidemic in Mexico, 50 WASH. U. J. L. & POL’Y 195 (2016), https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/law_journal_law_policy/vol50/iss1/9 This Note is brought to you for free and open access by the Law School at Washington University Open Scholarship. It has been accepted for inclusion in Washington University Journal of Law & Policy by an authorized administrator of Washington University Open Scholarship. For more information, please contact
[email protected]. NAFTA Largely Responsible for the Obesity Epidemic in Mexico Alana D. Siegel INTRODUCTION Obesity has notoriously been an American problem.1 However, in 2013, Mexico surpassed the United States to become the most obese country in the world.2 There are a number of suspected causes for Mexico’s rise in the ranks. On a global scale, there is an increased availability of obesogenic foods, largely as a result of globalization trends such as “McDonaldization” and “Coca-Colonization.”3 In J.D. and M.B.A. (2017), Washington University in St. Louis; B.A. (2013), Lafayette College. 1. John P. Elder, Mexico and the USA: The World’s Leaders in the Obesity Epidemic, 55 SALUD PUBLICA DE MEXICO S355 (2013) (“[T]he United States until very recently has had the highest prevalence of adult obesity internationally (excepting countries with small populations such as Belize and Cook Islands).”).