who we are

Colansa (Latin American and Caribbean Nutrition and Health Community of Practice) is a group of professionals, of civil society organizations and universities that work in a collaborative environment to contribute to the development of healthy, sustainable, equitable and inclusive food systems and promoting improvements in the nutrition and health of the populations from Latin America and the Caribbean.

Our work takes place trough a community of practices, that is, a space for exchange between researchers and other social actors, for the advancement and creation of public policies that generate an improvement in food systems, based on collaborative learning and creation of scientific knowledge.

The community aims to play a leading role in the region, creating a space for discussion and debate in a democratic environment for the exchange of ideas and solutions to improve the region’s food systems. Thus, Colansa also assists in the prevention of the increase in non-communicable chronic diseases, such as obesity, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and others, the main causes of death in the world and with high prevalence in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Besides that, we aim to contribute to the innovation and development of bonds between the countries of Latin America and the Caribean, facilitating greater transparency of the tools and knowledge produced in the region to solve problems with multidisciplinary approaches.

We want Colansa to be a reference in building practices and knowledge common to all people, individual and companies, who are interested in actively contributing to the improvement of the region’s food systems.

No member of Colansa has any bonds with the ultra-processed beverages and food industry, nor with the tobacco and alcohol industries. Therefore, there is no conflict of interest. This allows our actions to be free, transparent and firmly focused on public health.

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areas of action

In general, Colansa’s main areas of activity focus on promoting healthy eating and sustainable food systems in Latin America and the Caribbean. The organization works to achieve these goals through a combination of research, advocacy, capacity building, and collaborative action.

1.

Advocate for policies that support healthy eating and sustainable food systems: This includes working with governments and other organizations to create policies that make healthy food more affordable and accessible, and that ensure it is produced sustainably.

2.

Conduct research on the effectiveness of interventions aimed at improving food systems and eating habits: This includes gathering evidence on what works to promote healthy eating and sustainable food systems, and sharing that evidence with policymakers and other stakeholders.

3.

Carry out research on the effectiveness of interventions aimed at improving food systems and dietary habits: This involves gathering evidence on effective strategies to promote healthy eating and sustainable food systems, and sharing that evidence with policymakers and other stakeholders.

4.

Build the capacity of researchers, policymakers, and civil society organizations to work together to improve food systems and dietary habits: This includes providing training and support to help these groups collaborate in the implementation of effective interventions with a gender equity perspective.

5.

Colansa integrates gender equity as a cross-cutting axis in its actions, seeking the full and equal participation of women and vulnerable populations in food systems. This means removing barriers that hinder their access to healthy and sustainable food and reducing the existing power imbalance in food systems.

Colansa’s mission is to contribute to the development of healthy, sustainable, equitable and inclusive food systems. More information:

Colansa's manifest
conceptual and political framework
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nuestro equipo

Nutritionist with over 16 years of experience in public health, having worked at municipal, state, and international levels. She is an expert in public policies, planning, management, and monitoring of projects, with a focus on vulnerable populations. She holds a master’s degree in Food, Nutrition and Health from the University of the State of Rio de Janeiro (UERJ) and a specialization in Public Health from the Sergio Arouca School of Public Health/FIOCRUZ.

Nutritionist and holds a Master’s degree in Public Health from the School of Public Health of Mexico (ESPM/INSP). She is also a member of the research team at the Center for Nutrition and Health Research of the National Institute of Public Health of Mexico (CINyS/INSP).Her research focuses on the commercial determinants of health and the transition toward food systems based on sovereignty and social justice.
Dr. Luana Rocha is a Postdoctoral Resident in the Graduate Program in Public Health at the Faculty of Medicine of the Federal University of Minas Gerais (UFMG). She holds a Ph.D. in Public Health and a Master’s degree in Health Sciences from UFMG. She is also a Nutritionist, graduated from UFMG. Researcher with the Group for Studies, Research and Practices in the Food and Health Environment (GEPPAAS) and the Epidemiology Research Group – Belo Horizonte Urban Health Observatory (Osubh).

Master’s Degree in Political Economy (FLACSo) and a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology (UBA). He worked in the National Department for Non-Communicable Diseases of the Ministry of Health of the Nation of Argentina.As a member of civil society, he participated in various projects related to healthy eating, such as the approval and implementation of the Law for the Promotion of Healthy Eating (#Front-of-Package Labeling) and the updating of the Argentine Food Code (CAA) in the article referring to trans fats.He is currently Project Director of the InterAmerican Heart Foundation (IAHF/FIC).

She is a journalist and holds a master’s degree in Communication and Information from the Graduate Program in Communication at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul (PPGCOM/UFRGS). She has experience as a communications advisor and content producer for trade unions and social movements in the areas of health, the environment, human rights, and culture. She has also worked as a reporter and in documentary production. In addition, she coordinates communications for the Josué de Castro Chair on Healthy and Sustainable Food Systems (USP).

Professor and communications expert with 20 years’ experience in the professional practice of strategic communication for development, in educational communication and editorial development, working in Mexico, Spain and the Dominican Republic in educational and governmental institutions, international non-profit organizations and news agencies.She holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Communication, a master’s degree in Design and Audiovisual Production, and a master’s degree in Gender and Development.

Doctoral student in Public Health Nutrition at the School of Public Health of the University of São Paulo (FSP/USP). She is a nutritionist from FSP/USP and holds a master’s degree in Public Health from the Faculty of Medical Sciences of the State University of Campinas (FCM/Unicamp).
Nutritionist from the School of Public Health at the University of São Paulo (2024), where she was awarded a Scientific Initiation scholarship (PIBIC/CNPq). She is currently a master’s student in Public Health Nutrition at FSP/USP. She is interested in the following areas: Public Health Nutrition, Nutritional Epidemiology, Food Systems and Environments, and Public Food and Nutrition Policies.

Nutritionist and Doctor of Nutrition and Public Health. She is a professor in the Department of Nutrition at the School of Public Health at the University of São Paulo. She is a scientific researcher at the Center for Epidemiological Research in Nutrition and Health (Nupens) of the same University. Her line of research includes evaluating and monitoring public policies on food and nutrition, with an emphasis on regulatory measures on ultra-processed foods.

Holds a degree in Political Sciences from Universidad del Salvador, Argentina. She has dedicated over a decade to advancing human rights, working with the Argentinian government in the field of international human rights. She currently serves as Executive Coordinator at the Coalition for Americas’ Health (CLAS), and is part of the steering committee and the advocacy team of Colansa. Additionally, she is a professor at the University of Buenos Aires, Law School.

Is dedicated to the prevention and control of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) in the Americas.As executive director of CLAS, the Healthy America Coalition, she provides a coherent response from civil society on health policy issues. Supporting advocacy in the region, advocacy communication, grants, and building greater capacity for advocacy.Some experiences: coalition to reduce salt in the diet; advocacy for smoke-free environments; health warnings in the Caribbean and Central America; 7 media competitions; national smoking cessation plans; CARMELA study of the prevalence of risk factors for cardiovascular disease in seven cities; economics of tobacco in Argentina; chaired five regional Tobacco or Health conferences; economic studies in Central America; illicit trade in Mercosur; youth dialogue; empowerment of people living with NCDs.She is a member of the Board of Directors of the Global Alcohol Policy Alliance (GAPA) and the NCD Alliance.She is also president of INWAT, the international network of women against tobacco.She holds a Ph.D. from Rutgers University and graduated with high honors from the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana.

Is Director and lead researcher of the Center for Research in Food Environments and Prevention of Chronic Diseases Associated with Nutrition (CIAPEC) Full Professor at the Public Nutrition Unit of the Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology (INTA) at the University of Chile. She is a Medical Surgeon, holds a Master’s degree in Public Health from the University of Chile, and a Ph.D. in Nutrition from Emory University, United States.

Nutricionista, Magíster en Nutrición Humana y Doctora en Nutrición Humana de la Universidad de British Columbia, Canadá. Profesora asistente del Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología de los Alimentos (INTA) e investigadora asociada al Centro de Investigación en Ambientes Alimentarios y Prevención de Enfermedades Crónicas Asociadas a la Nutrición (CIAPEC), INTA, Universidad de Chile. Forma parte del equipo de investigación de Colansa.

Director de Operaciones de la Fundación Interamericana del Corazón (IAHF).Tiene 25 años de experiencia con la Fundación Interamericana del Corazón en las áreas de gestión y administración de subvenciones, gestión de registros, contabilidad, gestión y distribución de fondos, gestión de reuniones y comunicaciones en América Latina y el Caribe.Como parte del proyecto Colansa, sus funciones incluyen: asistencia en la administración general del proyecto, gestión de subvenciones para la porción del proyecto correspondiente a la Fundación Interamericana del Corazón, informes contables/financieros y traducción.

Nutritionist, master’s and PhD in science from the Department of Pediatrics at the Federal University of São Paulo (Unifesp), with an internship from the Johns Hopkins Institute of Medicine. I am the coordinator of the Healthy and Sustainable Diets Program at the Institut for Consumers Defense (Idec) in Brazil, where I have worked since 2016. I am a national advisor at the National Council for Food and Nutritional Security (Consea), a member of the steering committee of the Alliance for Adequate and Healthy Diets in Brazil and of the Food Advertising Observatory (OPA), and the coordinator of the Brazilian Food Labeling Research Observatory.

Medical researcher at the Center for Research in Nutrition and Health at the National Institute of Public Health in Mexico. She is currently the coordinator of projects related to monitoring the obesogenic environment in schools, evaluating food and beverage advertising aimed at children and adolescents in different media, evaluating food and beverage labeling and the INFORMAS-Mexico project.She is part of the team that generated scientific evidence, designed, implemented and, now, monitors the Mexican front-of-package warning label.

With a degree in Business Administration and a master’s degree in Social Psychology from the London School of Economics (LSE), she has worked on the social development project management agenda for more than 15 years, for foundations, non-governmental organizations, United Nations agencies and public bodies. More recently, she has focused on the agenda of healthy, sustainable and equitable food systems, from a health perspective and defending the human right to adequate and healthy food.She is currently part of the Healthy and Sustainable Food and Nutrition Program at the Institute for Consumer Advocacy (Idec), where she is responsible for advocacy and political lobbying, mainly at the regional and multilateral level.

Es asesora en incidencia de la Coalición América Saludable (CLAS). Integra el comité de incidencia de Colansa, asesora en el Nodo de Etiquetado Frontal y en el Nodo de Interferencia de la Industria. Además, es coordinadora de los sub grants destinados a proyectos de advocacy. Es médica, especialista en Clínica Médica y Neumología. Magíster en epidemiología, gestión y políticas sanitarias. Fue co directora ejecutiva de la Fundación Interamericana del Corazón Argentina (FIC Argentina) organización no gubernamental, donde trabajó desde el 2007 al 2023 en investigación e incidencia para promover políticas públicas destinadas a la prevención de enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles en Argentina. Participó en la promoción de la Ley nacional de Control de Tabaco, en la Ley de Promoción de la Alimentación Saludable, en la regulación de grasas trans y en sodio.
Holds a degree in Nutrition, a master’s degree in Clinical Effectiveness, and a Ph.D. in Health Sciences.She is Full Professor at the School of Nutrition at the University of Buenos Aires, and a professor of Nutrition at the National University of La Matanza and the Austral University.She is a scientific researcher in the Department of Research into Chronic Diseases at the Institute of Clinical and Sanitary Effectiveness (IECS) and the National Scientific and Technical Research Council in Argentina (CONICET).
Cardiologist and epidemiologist. She is the Director and principal Investigator of the Department of Research in Chronic Diseases at the Institute for Clinical Effectiveness and Health Policy (IECS), University of Buenos Aires, and Director of the South American Center of Excellence for Cardiovascular Health. She is Senior researcher at the National Scientific and Technical Research Council of Argentina (CONICET). She is an expert in Implementation science and public health research. Dr Irazola is the Director of the Master’s Degree Program in Clinical Effectiveness at the University of Buenos Aires, where she also teaches Advanced Analytical Methods. She is faculty of the Implementation Science School run by the Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases (GACD). She is Visiting Professor at the School of Public Health, Harvard University, where she teaches Implementation Science.
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our members

La pluralidad y la transparencia orientan las acciones de los miembros de Colansa hacia la creación de un espacio de debate democrático y en la generación de ideas y soluciones para mejorar los sistemas alimentarios y la nutrición y la salud de la población de la región.
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Who can participate?

Colansa is open to the participation of civil society and academic organizations and also of physical people who share the same interests and objectives, who are willing to share their knowledge and experiences in a collaborative and practical interaction environment, and which do not have conflicts of interest.

If you are interested in being part of Colansa, whether you are a physical person or a member of an organization, get in touch with others.

Be part of Colansa!