January 22, 2018

Mexico’s “Nutrition Transition” and The Country’s Public Health

Mexico’s public health is going through a crisis. Obesity is consistently on the rise, chronic diseases becoming more common, but why? One of the main factors at play is the nutrition transition.

Transcript:
Over the past three decades, obesity rates have tripled in Mexico. Out of adults, 32 percent are obese, and 72% are either overweight or obese. Diabetes is the #1 cause of death, and the rising mortality rates for cardiovascular diseases are no more encouraging. Why is this? A host of reasons. Evidence shows that Mexicans are choosing more calorie-dense, nutrition-devoid foods, leading to obvious declines in health. Having both obesity and undernourishment issues within the same household is not uncommon. The low-income landscape in Mexico pushes “surviving” to the top of the priorities list. When you have little to spend, whether a food is healthy or not matters little. But it does matter. A packaged pastry is often cheaper than a local artisanal meal. Sodas are often cheaper than bottled water, and in a country where tap water isn’t safe for drinking, the repercussions are disastrous. This switch towards a more “Western” diet, and away from traditional (often healthier) foods, is deemed a nutrition transition, and Mexico’s is in full swing. So how can we prevent it from further damaging the country’s health? Supporting the return to traditional indigenous foods is a possible answer, as is making local produce more readily available. Possible solutions can vary and this remains an open question. What do you think?

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