Author, as appears in the article.: Aceves-Martins, Magaly; Llaurado, Elisabet; Tarro, Lucia; Sola, Rosa; Giralt, Montse
Department: Ciències Mèdiques Bàsiques; Medicina i Cirurgia
URV's Author/s: ACEVES MARTINS, MAGALY / Giralt Batista, Montserrat / Llauradó Ribé, Elisabet / Solà Alberich, Rosa Maria / Tarro Sánchez, Lucía
Keywords: Young adult; Social class; Sedentary behavior; Risk factors; Pediatric obesity; Mexico; Male; Humans; Health determinants; Health behavior; Health and environmental change; Female; Exercise; Diet; Developing countries; Culture; Childhood obesity; Child, preschool; Child; Adolescent; health and environmental change; developing countries; childhood obesity
Abstract: © 2016 Magaly Aceves-Martins et al. Background: Mexico is a developing country with one of the highest youth obesity rates worldwide; > 34% of children and adolescents between 5 and 19 years of age are overweight or obese. Objectives: The current review seeks to compile, describe, and analyze dietary conditions, physical activity, socioeconomic status, and cultural factors that create and exacerbate an obesogenic environment among Mexican youth. Design: A narrative review was performed using PubMed and the Cochrane Library databases, as well as grey literature data from the Mexican government, academics, and statistical reports from nongovernmental organizations, included in electronic formats. Results: The recent socioeconomic and nutritional transition has resulted in reduced healthy meal options at public schools, high rates of sedentary lifestyles among adolescents, lack of open spaces and playgrounds, socioeconomic deprivation, false or misunderstood sociocultural traditional beliefs, misconceptions about health, a high percentage of overweight or obese adults, and low rates of maternal breastfeeding. Some of the factors identified are exacerbating the obesity problem in this population. Current evidence also shows that more policies and health programs are needed for prevention of childhood and adolescent obesity. Mexico presents alarming obesity levels, which need to be curtailed and urgently reversed. Conclusions: The present narrative review presents an overview of dietary, physical activity, societal and cultural preconceptions that are potentially modifiable obesity-promoting factors in Mexican youth. Measures to control these factors need to be implemented in all similar developing countries by governments, policy makers, stakeholders, and health care professionals to tackle obesity in children and young people.
Thematic Areas: Sociologia i política; Saúde coletiva; Public, environmental & occupational health; Public health, environmental and occupational health; Medicina veterinaria; Medicina ii; Interdisciplinar; Health policy; General o multidisciplinar; Economia; Ciencias sociales; Ciências biológicas iii; Biodiversidade
licence for use: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/es/
ISSN: 16549880
Author's mail: elisabet.llaurado@urv.cat; montse.giralt@urv.cat; rosa.sola@urv.cat
Record's date: 2025-01-28
Paper version: info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
Link to the original source: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.3402/gha.v9.29625
Licence document URL: https://repositori.urv.cat/ca/proteccio-de-dades/
Paper original source: Global Health Action. 9 (1): 29625-
APA: Aceves-Martins, Magaly; Llaurado, Elisabet; Tarro, Lucia; Sola, Rosa; Giralt, Montse (2016). Obesity-promoting factors in Mexican children and adolescents: Challenges and opportunities. Global Health Action, 9(1), 29625-. DOI: 10.3402/gha.v9.29625
Article's DOI: 10.3402/gha.v9.29625
Entity: Universitat Rovira i Virgili
Journal publication year: 2016
Publication Type: Journal Publications
Repositori URV