Obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and tobacco consumption in an urban adult Mexican population.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to describe the prevalence of some of the main coronary risk factors in an open Mexican adult population. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study that includes individuals from eight different cities. Except for Mexico City, all centers were located in medium-sized cities ranging from 1 to 5 million inhabitants. Eligible subjects were adults 20 years of age or older. Exclusion criteria included subjects seeking medical attention due to an acute illness or individuals unable to provide the requested information or written consent to participate in the study. Men (n = 567) and women (n = 1,018) were included. A previously validated interview was conducted. A questionnaire assessed demographic and lifestyle factors. Capillary glucose concentration and blood pressure were obtained. Remarkably, 40% of the population had a body mass index (BMI) between 25 and 29.9 kg/m(2); an additional 28% had a BMI >30 kg/m(2). A large proportion of the individuals had abdominal fat distribution (62% of men and 81% of women). At the time of the evaluation, 30% of men and 18% of women were regular smokers. RESULTS: Blood pressure >140/90 mmHg was found in 29.4% of the population. Less than one half of the subjects had a previous measurement of plasma cholesterol (47%) or triglycerides (42%). The prevalence of diabetes was 9.02%. A significant percentage of these subjects were <40 years of age (18.8% of the diabetic population). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of obesity, diabetes, and hypertension in the population reported here is among the highest reported in Mexican populations.

[Breast feeding in a metropolitan area: (I). Analysis of the current situation]. / La lactancia materna en un área metropolitana: (I). Análisis de la situación actual.

In order to elaborate a program to promote breast-feeding, it is necessary to know in advance the difficulties encountered by the mothers in the target population. For this purpose, we surveyed a sample of 400 mothers who were representative of those who gave birth in Móstoles in 1989. We found that 56% of the mothers did not exceed two months of breast-feeding. Breast-feeding was shorter in low-income families. Its duration was influenced by the husband's and grandmother's opinions and also by previous failure with elder siblings. Mothers made their choice of feeding method before getting pregnant. We also found that most health professionals acted unsatisfactorily. Other unfavorable factors included excessive insecurity of the mother and misinformation.

[Importance of maternity routines in the success of maternal breast feeding]. / Importancia de las rutinas de la maternidad en el éxito de la lactancia materna.

Many of the problems that are associated with breast-feeding appear to be caused by various postnatal care procedures that take place in the majority of our hospitals. In order to identify these obstacles, a survey was carried out on a sample of 400 mothers whose children were born in Móstoles in 1989. The results were as follows: 1) The average duration of breast-feeding was 2.43 months (SD = 2.19 months). 2) The lower the baby's birth weight and the longer that he was kept in the hospital, the shorter the time that he was breast-fed. Two basic procedures in the hospital "norms" appear to contribute to the failure of breast-feeding. First, the provision of glucose water or formula bottles and second, a ridged feeding schedule. If the newborn was fed on demand in the hospital it tended to be continued once at home. In both the hospital and in the home, on demand feeding was strongly associate with successful breast-feeding. Some simple modifications to the Maternity departments are recommended.