Nutrition transition in Chile: determinants and consequences.
OBJECTIVE
The purpose of this study was to analyse the determinants and consequences of the nutrition transition in Chile and describe the related health promotion policies.


METHODS
This is a descriptive, population-based study including data on demographic, diet, nutrition and biomedical related variables. Data came from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the National Institute of Statistics (INE), the Ministries of Planning, Health and Education surveillance systems, and national surveys.


RESULTS
As malnutrition decreased during the 1980s, obesity increased rapidly in all age groups. In adults, currently about 25% of women are obese (body mass index >30 kg m(-2)); particularly those from low socio-economic levels. Among preschoolers, obesity is now 10% while in 6-year-old children it is 17.5% (weight/height greater than two standard deviations (>2SD) of the World Health Organization reference). Nutritional risk factors are prevalent, diet is changing to a 'Western diet' with an increasing fat consumption, and sedentarianism is constant in all groups. High blood pressure (>140/90) is greater than 10% in adults. Diabetes is increasing in urban areas, including in the indigenous population, and more than 40% of adults have a cholesterol level of more than 200 mg ml(-1).


CONCLUSIONS
Promotion of healthy lifestyles is the main strategy to cope with this situation, particularly changing behaviour in food habits, physical activity and psychosocial factors. Changes in lifestyles will not only allow the prolonged life expectancy to be of better quality, but also will favour a decrease in the morbidity and mortality from chronic diseases, mainly cardiovascular diseases.
Albala
Cecilia
C
Institute of Nutrition and Food Technology (INTA), University of Chile, Santiago. calbala@uchile.cl
Vio
Fernando
F
Kain
Juliana
J
Uauy
Ricardo
R
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002423:Cause of Death; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002677:Chile / Q000453:epidemiology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003710:Demography; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D004032:Diet; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D019456:Health Transition; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000401:mortality; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D018673:Nutrition Policy; D009747:Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011159:Population Surveillance; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors
D002784:Cholesterol