Cravings, sugar and fat consumption as determinant factors of obesity in young adults in Juarez City.

INTRODUCTION: obesity is a global health epidemic and understanding its causes is essential for successful treatment and prevention. Cravings have been associated with the excessive consumption of sugars and fats, and addictive eating behavior. OBJECTIVE: to determine the strength of the relationship between cravings, the consumption of sugar and fat, and its impact on body composition as determined via body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage (BFP) and waist circumference (WC) in a sample of Mexicans who reside close to the México-U.S. border. METHODS: the sample was comprised of 159 young adults with a mean age of 27.96 ± 6.19, 45.9% of which were male, and all residents of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Cravings were measured using Trait and State Food Cravings Questionnaires. The consumption of sugars and fats was determined via a 24-hour recall of foods consumed and a food consumption frequency questionnaire. RESULTS: it was demonstrated that BMI and BFP were positively associated with responses to the craving questionnaires and WC with fat consumption. Additionally, higher fat consumption was positively associated with higher rates of obesity. CONCLUSIONS: the results demonstrate the need to identify the presence of cravings and integrate such measures for effective prevention and treatment of obesity.

Cravings, sugar and fat consumption as determinant factors of obesity in young adults in juarez city / Craving, ingesta de azúcares y grasas como determinantes de la obesidad en adultos jóvenes de Ciudad Juárez

Introduction: obesity is a global health epidemic and understanding its causes is essential for successful treatment and prevention. Cravings have been associated with the excessive consumption of sugars and fats, and addictive eating behavior. Objective: to determine the strength of the relationship between cravings, the consumption of sugar and fat, and its impact on body composition as determined via body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage (BFP) and waist circumference (WC) in a sample of Mexicans who reside close to the México-U.S. border. Methods: the sample was comprised of 159 young adults with a mean age of 27.96 ± 6.19, 45.9% of which were male, and all residents of Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. Cravings were measured using Trait and State Food Cravings Questionnaires. The consumption of sugars and fats was determined via a 24-hour recall of foods consumed and a food consumption frequency questionnaire. Results: it was demonstrated that BMI and BFP were positively associated with responses to the craving questionnaires and WC with fat consumption. Additionally, higher fat consumption was positively associated with higher rates of obesity. Conclusions: the results demonstrate the need to identify the presence of cravings and integrate such measures for effective prevention and treatment of obesity

Introducción: la obesidad es una enfermedad heterogénea, por lo que reconocer su origen es esencial para el tratamiento. El craving ha sido relacionado con el consumo excesivo de azúcares y grasas y conductas alimentarias adictivas. Objetivo: investigar la relación entre el craving y la ingesta de azucares y grasas, así como su impacto sobre la composición corporal, determinada por el índice de masa corporal (IMC), el porcentaje de grasa corporal (PGC) y la circunferencia de la cintura (CC). Método: la muestra estuvo constituida por 159 adultos jóvenes, hombres (45.9%) y mujeres (54.1%), residentes de Ciudad Juárez, cuya media de edad fue de 27.96 ± 6.19. Se utilizó el Food Cravings Questionnaires Trait y State para determinar la presencia de craving. Para el análisis de la dieta se utilizaron recordatorio de 24 horas y cuestionario de frecuencia de consumo de alimentos. Resultados: los resultados mostraron que el IMC y el PGC se relacionan con conductas de craving y la CC, con el consumo de grasa. Además, el consumo de grasa se mostró como un factor de riesgo para la obesidad. Conclusiones: se sugiere la necesidad de determinar la presencia de craving y el consumo de grasas para prevenir o tratar eficazmente la obesidad