Beverages Sales in Mexico before and after Implementation of a Sugar Sweetened Beverage Tax.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate changes in sales of sugar sweetened beverages (SSB) and plain water after a 1 peso per liter excise SSB tax was implemented in Mexico in January 2014. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We used sales data from the Monthly Surveys of the Manufacturing Industry from January 2007 to December 2015. We estimated Ordinary Least Squares models to assess changes in per capita sales of SSB and plain water adjusting for seasonality and the global indicator of economic activity. RESULTS: We found a decrease of 7.3% in per capita sales of SSB and an increase of 5.2% of per capita sales of plain water in 2014-2015 compared to the pre-tax period (2007-2013). CONCLUSIONS: Adjusting for variables that change over time and that are associated with the demand for SSB, we found the tax was associated with a reduction in per capita sales of SSB. The effectiveness of the tax should be evaluated in the medium and long term.

Childhood and adolescent overweight and obesity in Latin America: a systematic review.

The number of children and adolescents who are overweight or obese worldwide is alarming. We did a systematic review to estimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children aged 0-19 years in Latin America. We searched specialised databases and seven books for relevant studies that were done in Spanish-speaking and Portuguese-speaking Latin American and Caribbean countries and published in peer-reviewed journals between January 2008, and April 2013. Indicators used were BMI (kg/m(2)) in all age groups and weight-for-height in children younger than 5 years. We identified 692 publications and included 42. Estimated prevalence of overweight in children younger than 5 years in Latin America was 7·1% with the weight-for-height WHO 2006 classification method. National combined prevalences of overweight and obesity with the WHO 2007 classification method ranged from 18·9% to 36·9% in school-age children (5-11 years) and from 16·6% to 35·8% in adolescents (12-19 years). We estimated that 3·8 million children younger than 5 years, 22·2-25·9 million school-age children, and 16·5-21·1 million adolescents were overweight or obese. Overall, between 42·5 and 51·8 million children aged 0-19 years were affected-ie, about 20-25% of the population. Although undernutrition and obesity coexist in the region, policies in most countries favour prevention of undernutrition, and only a few countries have implemented national policies to prevent obesity. In view of the number of children who are overweight or obese, the associated detrimental effects on health, and the cost to health-care systems, implementation of programmes to monitor and prevent unhealthy weight gain in children and adolescents are urgently needed throughout Latin America.

Dyslipidemias and obesity in Mexico

OBJECTIVE: To describe in a national sample 1) the mean total cholesterol (TC), HDL-cholesterol (HDLc) and triglyceride (TG) concentrations, 2) the prevalence of the most common lipid abnormalities and 3) the association between obesity and these conditions. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We analyzed the nationally representative, cross-sectional Me-xican Health Survey (2000). The final analytic sample used consisted of 2 351 individuals at fasting state. TC, HDLc and TG were determined. BMI was classified according to the WHO cut-off points. Sex-specific means and 95 percent confidence intervals (95 percentCI) were calculated by age group for TC, HDLc and TG. The prevalence of: a) hypercholesterolemia (HC), b) hypoalphalipoproteinemia (HA), c) hypertriglyceridemia (HT), d) HT with HA and e) HC with HT was calculated adjusting for age. Multivariate logistic regression models were estimated to analyze the association of obesity to the prevalence of dyslipidemias. RESULTS: The mean TC, HDLc, and TG concentrations were: 197.5 mg/dl (95 percent CI= 194.0, 201.1), 38.4 mg/dl (95 percent CI= 37.2, 39.5) and 181.7 mg/dl (95 percent CI= 172.7, 190.6), respectively. HC was present in 40.5 percent of the adult females (95 percent CI=35.5, 45.4) and 44.6 of the adult males (95 percent CI=37.7, 51.4); HA was the most prevalent form of dyslipidemia, present in 64.7 percent (95 percent CI=58.7, 70.8) and 61.4 percent (95 percent CI=54.4, 68.3) of females and males, respectively. Obesity increased ~1.4 times the probability ratio (PR) of having HC among women and 1.9 among men. CONCLUSION: TC concentrations from our study in Mexico were similar to those found for Mexican-Americans and the prevalence of HC was slightly lower than the one reported in the US; however, it increased ~26 percent from 1988 to 2000. HA was the most frequent lipid abnormality followed by HT. Regions showed no significant differences, contrary to what has been previously reported.

OBJETIVO: Describir en una muestra nacional las concentraciones de 1) colesterol total (CT), colesterol-HDL (cHDL) y triglicéridos, 2) la prevalencia de las anomalías lipídicas más comunes y 3) identificar la asociación entre obesidad y estas condiciones. MATERIAL Y MÉTODOS: Se analizó la Encuesta Nacional de Salud (2000), una encuesta representativa y transversal. La muestra analítica final consistió en 2 351 individuos en ayuno. Se determinaron las concentraciones de CT, cHDL y TG. El índice de masa corporal se clasificó de acuerdo con los puntos de corte de la OMS. Se calcularon las medias y el intervalo de confianza del 95 por ciento (IC95 por ciento) estratificado por sexo para CT, cHDL y TG. La prevalencia de a) hipercolesterolemia (HC), b) hipoalfalipoproteinemia (HA), c) hipertrigliceridemia (HT), d) HT con HA y e) HC con HT se calculó ajustando por edad. Se estimaron modelos de regresión logística mul-tivariada para analizar la asociación de la obesidad a la prevalencia de dislipidemias. RESULTADOS: Las medias de CT, cHDL y TG fueron: 197.5 mg/dl (IC95 por ciento= 194.0, 201.1), 38.4 mg/dl (IC95 por ciento= 37.2, 39.5) y 181.7 mg/dl (IC95 por ciento= 172.7, 190.6) respectivamente. La prevalencia de HC fue de 40.5 por ciento en mujeres (IC95 por ciento=35.5, 45.4) y 44.6 en hombres (IC95 por ciento=37.7, 51.4); HA fue la forma más prevalente de dislipidemia, presente en 64.7 por ciento (IC95 por ciento=58.7, 70.8) y 61.4 por ciento (IC95 por ciento=54.4, 68.3) de las mujeres y los hombres respectivamente. La obesidad aumentó ~1.4 veces la razón de probabilidad de tener HC en mujeres y 1.9 en hombres. CONCLUSION: Las concentraciones de CT de nuestro estudio fueron similares a las encontradas en mexicanos residentes en los EUA y la prevalencia de HC fue ligeramente menor que la reportada en dicho país; sin embargo aumentó ~26 por ciento de 1988 a 2000. Las HA fueron la anomalía lipídica más frecuente seguida de HT. Las regiones...