Consensus on pharmacological treatment of obesity in Latin America.

A panel of 10 experts in obesity from various Latin American countries held a Zoom meeting intending to reach a consensus on the use of anti-obesity medicines and make updated recommendations suitable for the Latin American population based on the available evidence. A questionnaire with 16 questions was developed using the Patient, Intervention, Comparison, Outcome (Result) methodology, which was iterated according to the modified Delphi methodology, and a consensus was reached with 80% or higher agreement. Failure to reach a consensus led to a second round of analysis with a rephrased question and the same rules for agreement. The recommendations were drafted based on the guidelines of the American College of Cardiology Foundation/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice. This panel of experts recommends drug therapy in patients with a body mass index of ≥30 or ≥27 kg/m2 plus at least one comorbidity, when lifestyle changes are not enough to achieve the weight loss objective; alternatively, lifestyle changes could be maintained while considering individual parameters. Algorithms for the use of long-term medications are suggested based on drugs that increase or decrease body weight, results, contraindications, and medications that are not recommended. The authors concluded that anti-obesity treatments should be individualized and multidisciplinary.

Hábitos durante el aislamiento social por la pandemia de COVID-19 y su impacto en el peso corporal / Habits during social isolation by the COVID-19 pandemic and its impact on body weight

Introducción: el aislamiento a causa de la pandemia de COVID-19 ha generado cambios en el estilo de vida de la población, como no concurrir al lugar de trabajo, teletrabajo, suspensión de actividades deportivas y recreativas, alterando todas las rutinas, incluso las de sueño. Esta situación podría agravar la pandemia de obesidad en el marco de la nueva pandemia, y favorecer alteraciones cualitativas y cuantitativas en la ingesta de alimentos y bebidas, y sedentarismo. Objetivos: investigar la percepción de las personas respecto de la modificación de sus conductas y rutinas, y su impacto en el peso corporal. Materiales y métodos: se realizó un estudio observacional de corte transversal, descriptivo y analítico, analizando datos de 5.635 cuestionarios vía google forms, aplicados luego de 45 días de iniciado el aislamiento preventivo y obligatorio debido a la pandemia de la enfermedad COVID-19.Resultados: el 62,1% (IC95%=60,8-63,4%) de los encuestados refirió ganar peso; la mayoría de ellos (78,6%) entre 1 a 3 Kg. Seis de cada 10 personas mencionaron al aumento de la ingesta de alimentos y bebidas, y a la disminución de actividad física como principales causas. Con respecto a los factores asociados con la ganancia de peso referida, la edad (joven), el exceso de peso previo, los cambios en la alimentación, la ingesta en respuesta a emociones, el bajo nivel de actividad física, el consumo de alcohol y las alteraciones en el sueño fueron los factores relacionados con significancia estadística. Conclusiones: el confinamiento contribuyó a agravar cuestiones relativas a hábitos del estilo de vida, generando como consecuencia incremento de peso en la población encuestada, en su mayoría entre 1 a 3 kg. Entre quienes refirieron exceso de peso previo, hubo mayor prevalencia de incremento de peso. Los resultados de este estudio podrían utilizarse para dar recomendaciones y estrategias de salud para prevenir ganancia de peso en la población por parte de las autoridades sanitarias

Introduction: the isolation due to the COVID-19 pandemic has generated changes in the lifestyle of the population, such as not attending the workplace, teleworking, suspension of sports and recreational activities, altering all routines, including sleep. This situation could exacerbate the obesity pandemic in the framework of the new pandemic, favoring qualitative and quantitative changes in food and drink intake and sedentary lifestyle. Objectives: to investigate how behaviors and routines have been modified and their impact on body weight.Materials and methods: an observational, cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical study was carried out, analyzing data from 5,635 questionnaires via google forms, applied 45 days after the initiation of preventive and mandatory isolation due to the COVID-19 disease pandemic. Results: weight gain was recorded in 62.1% (95% CI=60.8- 63.4%) of the respondents, most of them (78.6%) reported gained from 1 to 3 kg. 6 of every 10 people mentioned increased food and drink intake and decreased physical activity as the main causes. With regard to factors associated with referred weight gain, age (young), previous excess weight, changes in diet, intake in response to emotions, low level of physical activity, alcohol consumption and disorders in sleep were the factors related to statistical significance to weight gain. Conclusions: confinement has contributed to exacerbate issues related to lifestyle habits, generating as a consequence an increase in weight in the population, mostly between 1 to 3 kg. Among those who suffered from previous excess, there was a higher prevalence of weight gain. The results of this study could be used by the health authorities to give recommendations and health strategies to prevent weight gain in the population