The State of the Region revealed an increase in obesity and overweight in childbearing-age women in almost all Central American countries. Panama was the only one that escaped this reality.
These conditions increased more than 50% in 2013.
According to experts, the evolution is growing and it shows the need to change dietary habits and lifestyles to prevent this problem from continuing affecting the population.
These conditions are chronic risk factors and there is no turning back. Experts also talked about increased mortality from associated diseases.
Heart diseases are, among chronic diseases, the second leading cause of regional death.
On the other hand, diabetes had a tendency to increase as a cause of death in the region.
In addition, Central America faces the problem known as the “double burden of malnutrition”, which means that malnutrition coexists with overweight and obesity.
The Fifth State Report of the Region indicated that, with the exception of Costa Rica (5.6%), the prevalence of chronic malnutrition during the period 2008-2011 was 28.4% for the region.
Belize, El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama have values close to 20% and the most dramatic case is Guatemala, with a 49% rate.