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Secular changes in nutritional status of Mexican women in childbearing age.
Author(s) -
DeRegil Luz Maria,
FloresVásquez Daniela,
CastañedaGameros Diana,
Casanueva Esther
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
the faseb journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.709
H-Index - 277
eISSN - 1530-6860
pISSN - 0892-6638
DOI - 10.1096/fasebj.21.6.lb54-b
Subject(s) - medicine , body mass index , overweight , obesity , socioeconomic status , demography , blood pressure , breastfeeding , anthropometry , anemia , diabetes mellitus , diastole , population , pediatrics , endocrinology , environmental health , sociology
Worldwide epidemiologic transition forces to longitudinally evaluate nutritional status changes, particularly in developing countries. The aim was to compare changes over time in height, Body Mass Index (BMI), mid upper arm circumference (MUAC), blood pressure (systolic and diastolic), hemoglobin and 75g‐1h post load glucose (1hplg) in childbearing age women living in Mexico City. Nutritional status indicators were measured in two samples of 118 women each (16% adolescents), assessed 25 years apart and matched by age and neighborhood. Women were 12–49 y old, non pregnant and non breastfeeding. Differences between samples were evaluated by Student’s t test. Participants belonged to mid‐low socioeconomic level. Most indicators increased sharply over 25 years. Mean difference in height was 5.0 cm, in BMI: 3; in systolic & diastolic pressure: 8 & 9 mmHg, respectively; in hemoglobin: 1.1 g/L, and in 1hplg: 27mg/dL (p<0.01). The exception was MUAC that only increased 0.2 cm. Joint prevalence of overweight and obesity increased from 54% to 70% and diabetes from 3 to 10%, while anemia decreased from 28 to 11% (p<0.01). BMI was significantly associated with both systolic and diastolic pressure, age, MUAC and 1hplg. The evaluation of all these indicators in similar populations suggests that non‐communicable diseases among Mexican women have increased over decades. However, iron deficiency is still a public health problem.