According to the Risk Atlas for the Nutrition of Children in Mexico, presented by the Save The Children organization and the Center for Excellence and Innovation for Children’s Rights and Opportunities, each child in Mexico has a 90% probability of experiencing overweight and obesity during their first 9 years of life. This staggering statistic highlights the urgent need for attention to the nutritional habits and health of Mexico’s child population.
The study analyzes the characteristics of children between 0 and 9 years of age, focusing on their nutritional habits and the impact on their health. Obesity is evaluated as an expression of malnutrition, which can be studied alongside other social indicators. This approach allows for a comprehensive understanding of the factors contributing to childhood obesity and malnutrition.
Childhood Nutrition and the Law
The organizations behind the report base their approach on the protection of childhood rights. Their findings are accompanied by policy recommendations to address the situations identified in the results. By focusing on the rights of children, the report emphasizes the importance of access to quality food in adequate health and opportunity conditions. It’s not just about evaluating weight and size in children, but also about assessing their ability to achieve the right to nutritious food in their living conditions.
The report also addresses malnutrition and malnutrition as a public health problem, investigating factors that affect child food, such as gender violence. This comprehensive approach recognizes that childhood obesity and malnutrition are complex issues that require a multifaceted solution.
Ultraprocessed Foods Under Scrutiny
The Atlas criticizes ultraprocessed foods and those with high sugar content as a cause of malnutrition, malnutrition, and childhood obesity. These foods are part of the destructive habits that must be restricted, both at the family level and through state-promoted public policies. To combat this, there must be a promotion of high nutritional value options that can be incorporated into children’s natural diet. Additionally, product labeling standards and education for parents, caregivers, and children themselves are crucial in reducing obesity.
Rising Childhood Obesity Rates
The average rate of child obesity has doubled, from 9% to 17.5% in 2023, primarily affecting children aged 5 to 9. As children get older, the incidence factors increase, and protection factors, such as access to affordable, nutritious food, decrease. The risk atlas does not provide figures on the incidence of malnutrition, malnutrition, and obesity but represents the proportion of children who may suffer from these conditions based on their environment.
The states of Baja California Sur and Nayarit have the highest risk, with 94.6% and 99.3%, respectively, indicating that at least 9 out of 10 children in these regions may suffer from obesity. Three states have a risk greater than 50%, while 15 regions in Mexico have a risk interval of 10% to 50%. In contrast, states like Chiapas, Chihuahua, Mexico City, Hidalgo, State of Mexico, Oaxaca, Puebla, Quintana Roo, Sinaloa, Tlaxcala, and Yucatan have a risk level below 10%.