Prevalence of overweight in Bolivia: data on women and adolescents

• Published in: Obesity reviews Vol. 10; no. 4; pp. 373 - 377
• Main Authors: Pérez-Cueto, F.J.A, Botti, A. Bayá, Verbeke, W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford, UK Oxford, UK : Blackwell Publishing Ltd 01.07.2009; Blackwell Publishing Ltd
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adolescents; Adult; Body Mass Index; Bolivia; Bolivia - epidemiology; Child; Cross-Sectional Studies; DHS; Female; Health Policy; Health Surveys; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Obesity - epidemiology; Obesity - prevention & control; overweight; Overweight - epidemiology; Overweight - prevention & control; Prevalence; Public Health; South America; Urban Health; Weight Gain; women; Women's Health; Young Adult; South America; Bolivia
• ISSN: 1467-7881; 1467-789X
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-789X.2009.00575.x

Secondary analysis of Bolivian Demographic and Health Surveys 1994, 1998 and 2003 revealed a steady raising trend in levels of overweight and obesity among women in childbearing age (20-45 years), reaching 30% and 15% respectively in 2003. Adolescents' cross-sectional data suggest that overweight and obesity are mainly found in urban areas. Applying the Bolivian body mass index-for-age reference, obesity reached 5% in adolescents, while overweight affects 14% of adolescents. This overview highlights the importance of including the prevention of weight gain among the public health nutrition policies in Bolivia.