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Nutritional Habits and Obesity in Latin America: An Analysis of the Region

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Preventive Nutrition

Part of the book series: Nutrition and Health ((NH))

Abstract

The stigma of undernutrition has been prevalent for hundreds of years in the world. More recently, obesity has become a major public health issue, present in developed and developing countries, even in those that show a high prevalence of undernutrion. In Latin America obesity is present in all countries and its prevalence varies according to their socioeconomic status. Although food habits vary in different sub-areas the traditional diets in the region have changed in the last decades to one characterized by a consumption of high fat foods, simple carbohydrates, sweetened beverages and salt. In addition, physical inactivity in children is increasing due to a combination of lack of appropiate facilities, sedentary habits and safety concerns. Although some programs to increase physycal activity have been succesful, those targeted to modify food habits have not. It is necessary to implement educational programs to improve the diet and increase physical activity in all countries of the region. This can only be accomplished with the participation of all actors involved including the community, school systems, government and food industry.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Sport Medicine Program, Faculty of Medicine, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Alameda 340, Santiago, Chile

    Nicole Figari M.Sc.

  2. School of Nutrition and Dietetics, Finis Terrae University, Pedro de Valdivia 1509, Santiago, Chile

    Oscar Castillo M.Sc.

  3. Department of Nutrition, Diabetes and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, Alameda 340, Santiago, Chile

    Jaime Rozowski Ph.D.

Authors
  1. Nicole Figari M.Sc.
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  2. Oscar Castillo M.Sc.
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  3. Jaime Rozowski Ph.D.
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jaime Rozowski Ph.D. .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Consultants in Consumer Healthcare, Morristown, New Jersey, USA

    Adrianne Bendich

  2. Columbia University Inst. Human Nutrition, New York, New York, USA

    Richard J. Deckelbaum

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Figari, N., Castillo, O., Rozowski, J. (2015). Nutritional Habits and Obesity in Latin America: An Analysis of the Region. In: Bendich, A., Deckelbaum, R. (eds) Preventive Nutrition. Nutrition and Health. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-22431-2_35

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-22431-2_35

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-319-22430-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-22431-2

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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