Mexico: dietitians, jobs and the nutrition industry

Regulator / credentialing body

Professional licence (cédula profesional) issued by the Secretaría de Educación Pública

Professional title

Licenciado/a en Nutrición

Title protection

Practice requires the university degree and cédula profesional

Professional body

Colegio Mexicano de Nutriólogos

Supplement regulation

COFEPRIS - food supplements (suplementos alimenticios)

Region

Latin America

How the profession is regulated

Nutrition in Mexico is practised by graduates of a licenciatura en nutrición, a four- to five-year university degree with internships and a year of social service. To practise legally, graduates obtain a cédula profesional from the Dirección General de Profesiones of the Secretaría de Educación Pública. Professional colleges and associations, such as the Colegio Mexicano de Nutriólogos, offer voluntary professional certification and continuing education, and the Asociación Mexicana de Miembros de Facultades y Escuelas de Nutrición (AMMFEN) works on education standards.

Because there is no single statutory register comparable to those in the UK or Canada, the cédula profesional and voluntary certification are the key credentials clients and employers should check.

The health burden

WHO's Global Health Observatory estimates adult obesity in Mexico at 36.1% in 2022^[1], the second highest among the countries on our Global Hub after Saudi Arabia. Type 2 diabetes is one of the leading causes of death, and childhood obesity is high. Mexico's National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT), run by the National Institute of Public Health, tracks these trends in detail. Undernutrition and anaemia persist in some rural and Indigenous communities.

Strengths of the Mexican market

• Bold public health policy. Mexico introduced a tax on sugary drinks and high-calorie foods in 2014 and black octagon front-of-pack warning labels in 2020, both studied worldwide.
• A large, licensed workforce trained in many universities across the country.
• Strong pharmacy retail. Chains such as Farmacias Guadalajara and Farmacias del Ahorro reach consumers nationwide.
• Direct selling. Mexico is a major market for direct-selling nutrition companies; Omnilife, founded in Guadalajara, is one example, alongside international firms such as Herbalife.
• Consumer health brands. Genomma Lab has built a large over-the-counter and personal care business in Mexico and Latin America.

Opportunities

For practitioners

Nutrition professionals work in public health institutions such as IMSS and ISSSTE, hospitals, primary care, private practice, sports, schools, food service and industry. Diabetes and obesity care, paediatric nutrition and sports nutrition are major fields. Public institutions have expanded nutrition services as part of chronic disease programmes, and private practice is common in cities.

For companies

Mexico is one of the largest supplement markets in Latin America, with pharmacies, direct selling, sports nutrition stores, supermarkets and e-commerce as channels. Its proximity to the United States and trade agreements make it attractive for manufacturing and distribution. Labelling rules are strict, and products sold as food must follow front-of-pack warning rules where they apply.

How food supplements are regulated

The Federal Commission for the Protection against Sanitary Risks (COFEPRIS) regulates food supplements (suplementos alimenticios) under the General Health Law and its regulations. Supplements may not claim to prevent, treat or cure disease, must carry required labelling in Spanish, and must comply with permitted ingredients and limits. Advertising requires attention to COFEPRIS rules. Products with therapeutic claims or doses may be regulated as medicines or herbal remedies instead. COFEPRIS publishes alerts on unregistered or fraudulent products, particularly those sold online.

Public health priorities

Mexico's front-of-pack warning label system, based on NOM-051 as amended in 2020, places black octagons on foods and drinks high in calories, sugars, saturated fat, trans fat or sodium, and warnings about caffeine and sweeteners for children. Several states have restricted the sale of sugary drinks and junk food to children. The sugary drink and junk food taxes introduced in 2014 remain in place. National strategies target obesity and diabetes prevention, and the Mexican dietary guidelines were updated in 2023.

Practical notes

For internationally trained nutrition professionals

Foreign degrees must be revalidated by the Secretaría de Educación Pública before a cédula profesional can be issued. Spanish proficiency is essential, and immigration requirements apply separately.

For companies entering Mexico

Confirm the product is a food supplement rather than a medicine or herbal remedy, check ingredients and limits, prepare Spanish labels that meet COFEPRIS rules, avoid therapeutic claims, and partner with a Mexican importer. For food products, apply the front-of-pack warning rules. Many companies attend US trade shows such as SupplySide Global and Expo West to meet Mexican distributors; see the events calendar.

Suppliers, manufacturers and retailers in Mexico

Notable companies headquartered in Mexico across supplements, medical nutrition, ingredients and retail. This is an information list, not an endorsement; companies can claim and expand their profile through a supplement company membership.

Events and trade shows

No major international nutrition trade show with confirmed dates is scheduled in Mexico right now. The nearest large events are on the worldwide events calendar, which lists dates checked on each organiser's site.

How Mexico fits the global picture

Worldwide, 2.6 billion adults were living with overweight in 2024, and 940 million of them with obesity^[2]. Diabetes affects 589 million adults aged 20 to 79^[3]. The global dietary supplements market was valued at US$209.5 billion in 2025 and is forecast to reach US$431.7 billion by 2033^[4]. Those three numbers frame demand for dietitians and nutrition products in every country on the Global Hub.

More countries in Latin America

Brazil