5.5 percent of Ecuadorean children faces obesity

Quito, Sep 12 (Prensa Latina) 5.5% of Ecuadorean children under 5 years of age suffer from obesity, according to the National Survey on Child Malnutrition.

September 12, 2023
17:06

The survey revealed the cities reporting highest overweight and obesity rates are Guayaquil (7%), Cuenca (5.8%) and rural coast provinces (6.3%). Meanwhile, in the urban Coast, it is 5.9%, followed by the urban Amazon (5.5%) and rural (4%). In the urban and rural highlands (5.1%).

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), overweight is one of the less visible faces of malnutrition in Ecuador and in South America, despite its worrying figures.

FAO´s report also shown that Ecuador is the fourth country with the highest prevalence of child overweight.

FAO also said that overweight “has been on the rise in many countries, accelerated by increasingly reduced levels of physical activity and by the consumption of rich-fat foods, added sugars or salt”.

Ecuador´s Public Health Ministry warned that overweight and obesity are risk factors for chronic diseases, including diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), overweight is up to 15 or 20 kilos above what a person should weigh. While obesity is beyond 20 kilos and too much fat gain is observed.

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