title: Prevalence, Distributions and Determinants of Obesity and Central Obesity in the Southern Cone of America.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Obesity is a major determinant of cardiovascular disease in South America. However, population-based data are limited.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 7,524 women and men, aged 35 to 74 years old, were randomly selected from 4 cities in the Southern Cone of Latin America between February 2010 and December 2011. Obesity clinical measurements and cardiovascular risk factors were measured using standard methodology.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of obesity and central obesity were 35.7% and 52.9%, respectively. The prevalence of obesity and central obesity were higher in women, and even higher in women with lower education compared with women with higher education. In men and women obesity was associated with a higher prevalence of diabetes, odds ratio (OR) 2.38 (95% Confidence Interval [CI]: 1.86 to 3.05) and 3.01 (95%CI 2.42 to 3.74) respectively, hypertension (OR 2.79 (95%CI 2.32 to 3.36) and 2.40 (95%CI 2.05 to 2.80) respectively, dyslipidemia (OR 1.83 (95%CI 1.50 to 2.24) and 1.69 (95%CI 1.45 to 1.98), respectively, low physical activity (OR 1.38(95%CI 1.14 to 1.68) and 1.38 (95%CI 1.18 to 1.62) respectively and a lower prevalence of smoking (OR, 0.65 (95%CI 0.53 to 0.80) and 0.58(95%CI 0.48 to 0.70) respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Obesity and central obesity are highly prevalent in the general population in the Southern Cone of Latin America and are strongly associated with cardiovascular risk factor prevalence. These data suggest that efforts toward prevention, treatment, and control of obesity should be a public health priority in the Southern Cone of Latin America.
authors.affiliation: CIGES. Universidad de La Frontera (UFRO), Temuco, Chile.
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0003-3595-9759
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lanas
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America.
authors.forename: Lydia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bazzano
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria (IECS), Centro de Excelencia en Salud Cardiovascular para el Cono Sur (CESCAS), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Adolfo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rubinstein
authors.affiliation: Sanatorio San Carlos, Bariloche, Pcia de Río Negro, Argentina.
authors.forename: Matias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Calandrelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America.
authors.forename: Chung-Shiuan
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria (IECS), Centro de Excelencia en Salud Cardiovascular para el Cono Sur (CESCAS), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Natalia
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Elorriaga
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria (IECS), Centro de Excelencia en Salud Cardiovascular para el Cono Sur (CESCAS), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Gutierrez
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Familiar, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay.
authors.forename: Jose A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Manfredi
authors.affiliation: CIGES. Universidad de La Frontera (UFRO), Temuco, Chile.
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Seron
authors.affiliation: Municipalidad de Marcos Paz, Pcia de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Nora
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mores
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Efectividad Clínica y Sanitaria (IECS), Centro de Excelencia en Salud Cardiovascular para el Cono Sur (CESCAS), Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Rosana
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Poggio
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Medicina Familiar, Universidad de la República, Montevideo, Uruguay.
authors.forename: Jacqueline
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ponzo
authors.affiliation: Municipalidad de Marcos Paz, Pcia de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Hector
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Olivera
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, Tulane School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine, Tulane University, New Orleans, Louisiana, United States of America.
authors.forename: Jiang
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: He
authors.affiliation: CIGES. Universidad de La Frontera (UFRO), Temuco, Chile.
authors.forename: Vilma E
authors.initials: VE
authors.lastname: Irazola
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D004522:Educational Status; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000453:epidemiology; D013020:South America