title: Nutritional status and dietary habits of the population of the Calchaqui Valleys of Tucuman, Argentina.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the nutritional status and dietary habits of the adult population of the Calchaqui Valleys of Tucuman.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional nutritional survey that included one 24-h recall, a semiquantitative food-frequency questionnaire, and anthropometric measurements was conducted in a representative sample of 113 adult participants. Pregnant and lactating women were excluded. Overweight and obesity were assessed according to body mass index, and the percentage of individuals with cardiovascular risk according to waist circumference and waist-to-hip circumference ratio was determined. Dietary habits were described according to the mean nutrient and food intakes of men and women.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Means ± standard deviations for total energy intake of men and women were 1856 ± 859 and 1589 ± 799 kcal/d, respectively. The average body mass indices of men and women were 26.8 and 26.7 kg/m(2), respectively. Thirty-seven percent of the population was overweight and 22.8% was obese, whereas 1.8% of the population was undernourished. Central adiposity was high (mean waist circumferences 99.8 and 87.3 cm in men and women, respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite the low average energy intake, the population under study showed a high prevalence of overweight and obesity and a high risk of cardiovascular disease according to the central adiposity values. These findings could be explained by the introduction of new high-energy foods and a sedentary lifestyle or the possibility that the biological characteristics of these individuals make them more predisposed to a rapid increase in adiposity.
authors: Department of Nutritional Biochemistry, INSIBIO, National University of Tucuman, San Miguel de Tucumán, Argentina.
authors: Maria Natalia
authors: MN
authors: Bassett
authors: Dora
authors: D
authors: Romaguera
authors: Norma
authors: N
authors: Samman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001118:Argentina / Q000453:epidemiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004043:Dietary Fiber / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004044:Dietary Proteins / Q000008:administration & dosage; D002149:Energy Intake; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D005518:Food Preferences; D006801:Humans; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055105:Waist Circumference; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D004043:Dietary Fiber; D004044:Dietary Proteins