Frontiers in Nutrition (Nov 2021)

Anthropometric Profile of Latin American Population: Results From the ELANS Study

  • Marianella Herrera-Cuenca,
  • Marianella Herrera-Cuenca,
  • Irina Kovalskys,
  • Alejandro Gerardi,
  • Pablo Hernandez,
  • Yaritza Sifontes,
  • Yaritza Sifontes,
  • Georgina Gómez,
  • Martha Cecilia Yépez García,
  • Betty Méndez-Pérez,
  • Maritza Landaeta-Jimenez,
  • Rossina Pareja,
  • Lilia Yadira Cortés,
  • Attilio Rigotti,
  • Mauro Fisberg,
  • Mauro Fisberg,
  • Iona Zalcman Zimberg

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2021.740361
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 8

Abstract

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Background: Latin America has experienced changes in lifestyle since 1960.Aim: The aim was to determine the prevalence of obesity and stunting among eight countries of Latin American and to identify the determinant risk factors for obesity.Subjects and Methods: Data were obtained from 9,218 participants of the Latin American Study of Nutrition and Health (ELANS), a multicenter cross-sectional study of the representative samples in eight Latin American countries. All the participants completed a standard protocol to investigate the nutrient intake and anthropometric variables (weight, height, and circumferences) analyzed by country, gender, age, and socioeconomic status.Results: The prevalence of obesity was higher in Costa Rica and Venezuela (29%) and lower in Colombia (16%), stunting was reported higher in Peru (47%) and lower in Argentina (17%), and waist and neck circumferences showed the higher values in Costa Rica (43%) and Chile (52%) and lower values in Colombia (23 and 26%).Conclusion: This study indicates an increasing trend toward overweight and obesity that are associated with lower socioeconomic status, being a woman, and concurs with inadequate intakes of calcium, which may be related to poor quality diet and in the long term could constitute risk factors for the chronic diseases and a health burden to the region.

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