Prevalence of obesity and diabetes in the socioeconomic transition of rural Mayas of Yucatan from 1962 to 2000

ABSTRACT

Background: The Mayas of the State of Yucatan in Mexico are the only aboriginal group with obesity and diabetes data before 1997.

Objective: To analyze socioeconomic trends associated with the increase in obesity and diabetes seen in rural Yucatan from 1962 to 2000.

Methods: Body weight, height and venous Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG) were measured in 263 rural Maya adults participating in a 2000 nutrition survey.

Results: Diabetes (FBG > 125 mg/dL) and obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²) were 10.6% and 35.7%, respectively. These results contrast with those of a 1962 survey where diabetic prevalence was 2.3% and 0% in women and men respectively, with widespread adult pellagra and malnutrition. An important socioeconomic transition that took place in Yucatan during this lapse appeared to be associated to the obesity and diabetes increase.

Conclusions: Rural Yucatan evolved from malnutrition conditions to high prevalence of obesity and diabetes in less than 40 years. This change was associated with the transition from an agroindustry-based economy, characterized by high-energy expenditure and low protein intake, to lower energy requirements of a Government-subsidized economy with larger food supply.

KEYWORDS:

• Epidemiology of diabetes
• obesity
• ethnicity
• socio-economic
• diet

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by Fondo Nestlé para la Nutrición de la Fundación Mexicana para la Salud.