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Showing papers by "J. Jaime Miranda published in 2012"


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The health research panorama of the region shows enormous regional discrepancies, but great prospects, and improving research and human resources capacity in the region will require establishing research partnerships within and outside the region, between rich and poor countries.
Abstract: Background This article analyses the epidemiological research developments in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). It integrates the series commissioned by the International Epidemiological Association to all WHO Regions to identify global opportunities to promote the development of epidemiology. Methods Health situations of the regions were analysed based on published data on selected mortality, morbidity and risk factors. Epidemiological publication output by country was estimated by Medline bibliometrics. Internet and literature searches and data provided by key informants were used to describe perspectives on epidemiological training, research and funding. Findings Despite important advances in recent decades, LAC remains the world's most unequal region. In 2010, 10% of the LAC's people still lived in conditions of multidimensional poverty, with huge variation among countries. The region has experienced fast and complex epidemiological changes in past decades, combining increasing rates of non-communicable diseases and injuries, and keeping uncontrolled many existing endemic and emerging diseases. Overall, epidemiological publications per year increased from 160 articles between 1961 and 1970 to 2492 between 2001 and 2010. The increase in papers per million inhabitants in the past three decades varied from 57% in Panama to 1339% in Paraguay. Universities are the main epidemiological training providers. There are at least 34 universities and other institutions in the region that offer postgraduate programmes at the master’s and doctoral levels in epidemiology or public health. Most LAC countries rely largely on external funding and donors to initiate and sustain long-term research efforts. Despite the limited resources, the critical mass of LAC researchers has produced significant scientific contributions. Future needs The health research panorama of the region shows enormous regional discrepancies, but great prospects. Improving research and human resources capacity in the region will require establishing research partnerships within and outside the region, between rich and poor countries, promoting collaborations between LAC research institutions and universities to boost postgraduate programmes and aligning research investments and outputs with the current burden of disease.

165 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
13 Dec 2012-PLOS ONE
TL;DR: The data support the extension of the thrifty phenotype hypothesis to limb growth, and suggest that certain elements of limb growth may be sacrificed under tough conditions to buffer more functional traits.
Abstract: Background and Methods Both the concept of ‘brain-sparing’ growth and associations between relative lower limb length, childhood environment and adult disease risk are well established. Furthermore, tibia length is suggested to be particularly plastic under conditions of environmental stress. The mechanisms responsible are uncertain, but three hypotheses may be relevant. The ‘thrifty phenotype’ assumes that some components of growth are selectively sacrificed to preserve more critical outcomes, like the brain. The ‘distal blood flow’ hypothesis assumes that blood nutrients decline with distance from the heart, and hence may affect limbs in relation to basic body geometry. Temperature adaptation predicts a gradient of decreased size along the limbs reflecting decreasing tissue temperature/blood flow. We examined these questions by comparing the size of body segments among Peruvian children born and raised in differentially stressful environments. In a cross-sectional sample of children aged 6 months to 14 years (n = 447) we measured head circumference, head-trunk height, total upper and lower limb lengths, and zeugopod (ulna and tibia) and autopod (hand and foot) lengths. Results Highland children (exposed to greater stress) had significantly shorter limbs and zeugopod and autopod elements than lowland children, while differences in head-trunk height were smaller. Zeugopod elements appeared most sensitive to environmental conditions, as they were relatively shorter among highland children than their respective autopod elements. Discussion The results suggest that functional traits (hand, foot, and head) may be partially protected at the expense of the tibia and ulna. The results do not fit the predictions of the distal blood flow and temperature adaptation models as explanations for relative limb segment growth under stress conditions. Rather, our data support the extension of the thrifty phenotype hypothesis to limb growth, and suggest that certain elements of limb growth may be sacrificed under tough conditions to buffer more functional traits.

105 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
01 Jan 2012-BMJ Open
TL;DR: This longitudinal study performed in three Peruvian settings will provide valuable information on cardiopulmonary outcomes in three different settings and will provide a platform to address potential interventions that are locally relevant or applicable to other similar settings in Latin America.
Abstract: Background The rise in non-communicable diseases in developing countries has gained increased attention. Given that around 80% of deaths related to non-communicable diseases occur in low- and middle-income countries, there is a need for local knowledge to address such problems. Longitudinal studies can provide valuable information about disease burden of non-communicable diseases in Latin America to inform both public health and clinical settings. Methods The CRONICAS cohort is a longitudinal study performed in three Peruvian settings that differ by degree of urbanisation, level of outdoor and indoor pollution and altitude. The author sought to enrol an age- and sex-stratified random sample of 1000 participants at each site. Study procedures include questionnaires on socio-demographics and well-known risk factors for cardiopulmonary disease, blood draw, anthropometry and body composition, blood pressure and spirometry before and after bronchodilators. All participants will be visited at baseline, at 20 and 40 months. A random sample of 100 households at each site will be assessed for 24 h particulate matter concentration. Primary outcomes include prevalence of risk factors for cardiopulmonary diseases, changes in blood pressure and blood glucose over time and decline in lung function. Discussion There is an urgent need to characterise the prevalence and burden of non-communicable diseases in low- and middle-income countries. Peru is a middle-income country currently undergoing a rapid epidemiological transition. This longitudinal study will provide valuable information on cardiopulmonary outcomes in three different settings and will provide a platform to address potential interventions that are locally relevant or applicable to other similar settings in Latin America.

97 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: It is argued that teaching of global health in undergraduate medical curricula must respond to changing understandings of the term global health, in particular it must be taught from the perspective of more disciplines than just biomedicine, in order to reflect the social, political and economic causes of ill health.
Abstract: Since the early 1990s there has been a burgeoning interest in global health teaching in undergraduate medical curricula. In this article we trace the evolution of this teaching and present recommendations for how the discipline might develop in future years. Undergraduate global health teaching has seen a marked growth over the past ten years, partly as a response to student demand and partly due to increasing globalization, cross-border movement of pathogens and international migration of health care workers. This teaching has many different strands and types in terms of topic focus, disciplinary background, the point in medical studies in which it is taught and whether it is compulsory or optional. We carried out a survey of medical schools across the world in an effort to analyse their teaching of global health. Results indicate that this teaching is rising in prominence, particularly through global health elective/exchange programmes and increasing teaching of subjects such as globalization and health and international comparison of health systems. Our findings indicate that global health teaching is moving away from its previous focus on tropical medicine towards issues of more global relevance. We suggest that there are three types of doctor who may wish to work in global health – the ‘globalised doctor’, ‘humanitarian doctor’ and ‘policy doctor’ – and that each of these three types will require different teaching in order to meet the required competencies. This teaching needs to be inserted into medical curricula in different ways, notably into core curricula, a special overseas doctor track, optional student selected components, elective programmes, optional intercalated degrees and postgraduate study. We argue that teaching of global health in undergraduate medical curricula must respond to changing understandings of the term global health. In particular it must be taught from the perspective of more disciplines than just biomedicine, in order to reflect the social, political and economic causes of ill health. In this way global health can provide valuable training for all doctors, whether they choose to remain in their countries of origin or work abroad.

67 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: This article steps back from attempts at definition and asks what current definitions of global health tell us about the evolution of the field, identifying gaps and points of debate and using these to inform discussions of how global health might be taught.
Abstract: Background There has long been debate around the definition of the field of education, research and practice known as global health. In this article we step back from attempts at definition and instead ask what current definitions tell us about the evolution of the field, identifying gaps and points of debate and using these to inform discussions of how global health might be taught.

62 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
01 Feb 2012-Heart
TL;DR: In LMIC, most but not all, CV risk factors are higher or more common in migrants than in rural groups but lower or less common than in urban groups, and conclusions were weak as information was insufficient.
Abstract: Context Limited information is available of effects of rural-to-urban within-country migration on cardiovascular (CV) risk factors in low- and middle- income countries (LMIC). Objective A systematic review of studies evaluating these effects was performed with rural and/or urban control groups. Study selection Two teams of investigators searched observational studies in Medline, Web of Science and Scopus until May 2011. Studies evaluating international migration were excluded. Data extraction Three investigators extracted the information stratified by gender. Information on 17 known CV risk factors was obtained. Results Eighteen studies (n=58 536) were included. Studies were highly heterogeneous with respect to study design, migrant sampling frame, migrant urban exposure and reported CV risk factors. In migrants, commonly reported CV risk factors—systolic and diastolic blood pressure, body mass index, obesity, total cholesterol and low-density lipoprotein—were usually higher or more common than in the rural group and usually lower or less common than in the urban group. This gradient was usually present in both genders. Anthropometric (waist-to-hip ratio, hip/waist circumference, triceps skinfolds) and metabolic (fasting glucose/insulin, insulin resistance) risk factors usually followed the same gradient, but conclusions were weak as information was insufficient. Hypertension, high-density lipoprotein, fibrinogen and C-reactive protein did not follow any pattern. Conclusions In LMIC, most but not all, CV risk factors are higher or more common in migrants than in rural groups but lower or less common than in urban groups. Such gradients may or may not be associated with differential CV events and long-term evaluations are necessary.

61 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
01 Nov 2012-Obesity
TL;DR: The distribution of obesity in Peruvian women is strongly related to socioeconomic position, and differs whether measured as possession assets or by level of education, which could have important implications for policy development in Peru.
Abstract: Historically in developing countries, the prevalence of obesity has been greater in more advantaged socioeconomic groups. However, in recent years the association between socioeconomic status (SES) and obesity has changed and varies depending on the country's development stage. This study examines the relationship between SES and obesity using two indicators of SES: education or possession assets. Using the cross-sectional 2008 National Demographic and Family Health Survey of Peru (ENDES 2008), we investigated this relationship in women aged 15-49 years living in rural and urban settings. Descriptive, linear and logistic regressions analyses were conducted accounting for the multistage nature of the sampling design. The overall prevalence of obesity in this study was 14.1% (95% confidence interval (CI): 13.3-14.8); 8.4% (95% CI: 7.5-9.3) in rural areas and 16.2% (95% CI: 15.2-17.2) in urban areas. Wealthier women were more likely to be obese, and this association was stronger in rural areas. Conversely, more educated women were less likely to be obese, especially in urban areas. The distribution of obesity in Peruvian women is strongly related to socioeconomic position, and differs whether measured as possession assets or by level of education. These findings could have important implications for policy development in Peru.

52 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
20 Dec 2012-PLOS ONE
TL;DR: Policy simulations showed that the most effective attraction package to uptake a rural job included a 75% increase in salary plus scholarship for a specialization, which would increase the proportion of health workers taking a ruralJob from 36% up to 60%.
Abstract: Background: Robust evidence on interventions to improve the shortage of health workers in rural areas is needed. We assessed stated factors that would attract short-term contract nurses and midwives to work in a rural area of Peru. Methods and Findings: A discrete choice experiment (DCE) was conducted to evaluate the job preferences of nurses and midwives currently working on a short-term contract in the public sector in Ayacucho, Peru. Job attributes, and their levels, were based on literature review, qualitative interviews and focus groups of local health personnel and policy makers. A labelled design with two choices, rural community or Ayacucho city, was used. Job attributes were tailored to these settings. Multiple conditional logistic regressions were used to assess the determinants of job preferences. Then we used the best-fitting estimated model to predict the impact of potential policy incentives on the probability of choosing a rural job or a job in Ayacucho city. We studied 205 nurses and midwives. The odds of choosing an urban post was 14.74 times than that of choosing a rural one. Salary increase, health center-type of facility and scholarship for specialization were preferred attributes for choosing a rural job. Increased number of years before securing a permanent contract acted as a disincentive for both rural and urban jobs. Policy simulations showed that the most effective attraction package to uptake a rural job included a 75% increase in salary plus scholarship for a specialization, which would increase the proportion of health workers taking a rural job from 36.4% up to 60%. Conclusions: Urban jobs were more strongly preferred than rural ones. However, combined financial and non-financial incentives could almost double rural job uptake by nurses and midwifes. These packages may provide meaningful attraction strategies to rural areas and should be considered by policy makers for implementation.

46 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
18 Dec 2012-PLOS ONE
TL;DR: Doctors are five times more likely to favour a job in urban areas over rural settings, a strong preference that needs to be overcome by future policies aimed at improving the scarcity of rural doctors.
Abstract: Background: Doctors’ scarcity in rural areas remains a serious problem in Latin America and Peru. Few studies have explored job preferences of doctors working in underserved areas. We aimed to investigate doctors’ stated preferences for rural jobs. Methods and Findings: A labelled discrete choice experiment (DCE) was performed in Ayacucho, an underserved department of Peru. Preferences were assessed for three locations: rural community, Ayacucho city (Ayacucho’s capital) and other provincial capital city. Policy simulations were run to assess the effect of job attributes on uptake of a rural post. Multiple conditional logistic regressions were used to assess the relative importance of job attributes and of individual characteristics. A total of 102 doctors participated. They were five times more likely to choose a job post in Ayacucho city over a rural community (OR 4.97, 95%CI 1.2; 20.54). Salary increases and bonus points for specialization acted as incentives to choose a rural area, while increase in the number of years needed to get a permanent post acted as a disincentive. Being male and working in a hospital reduced considerably chances of choosing a rural job, while not living with a partner increased them. Policy simulations showed that a package of 75% salary increase, getting a permanent contract after two years in rural settings, and getting bonus points for further specialisation increased rural job uptake from 21% to 77%. A package of 50% salary increase plus bonus points for further specialisation would also increase the rural uptake from 21% to 52%. Conclusions: Doctors are five times more likely to favour a job in urban areas over rural settings. This strong preference needs to be overcome by future policies aimed at improving the scarcity of rural doctors. Some incentives, alone or combined, seem feasible and sustainable, whilst others may pose a high fiscal burden.

41 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
28 Nov 2012-PLOS ONE
TL;DR: Overall, high levels of overweight, obesity, and underestimation of BMI status were found, with poor agreement between BMI and self-reported weight, showing the unawareness of weight status severity in this low-income setting.
Abstract: Objective This study aimed to compare self-reported weight and body mass index (BMI) in order to determine discrepancies between subjective and objective obesity-related markers, and possible explanatory factors of overweight and obesity underestimation, in urban, rural and migrant populations. Materials and Methods Data from the PERU MIGRANT study, a cross-sectional study, in low-income settings, of urban, migrant (rural-to-urban), and rural groups, including BMI, self-reported weight and socio-demographic indicators were analyzed. Percentage of concurrences between BMI and self-reported weight and Kappa coefficients for inter-rater agreement were calculated. Univariate and standardized descriptive analyses were performed to identify potential explanatory variables for weight underestimation in only overweight and obese individuals, using established BMI and waist circumference cut offs. Results 983 Participants–199 urban, 583 migrants and 201 rural–were analyzed. Based on BMI, overall prevalence of obesity was 20.1% (95% CI 17.6%–22.6%), and overweight was 38.3% (95% CI 35.2%–41.2%), with differences between study groups (p<0.001). Only 43% of the whole sample had matching self-reported weight and BMI status, whereas 54% underestimated and 3% overestimated their BMI category. Kappa coefficient, between BMI and self-reported weight, for the entire sample was 0.16, rural residents had the lowest coefficient (0.01) and the most underestimation, especially in the overweight category. In overweight and obese individuals, deprivation index (p = 0.016), age (p = 0.014) and waist circumference (p<0.001) were associated with weight underestimation. Discussion Overall, high levels of overweight, obesity, and underestimation of BMI status were found, with poor agreement between BMI and self-reported weight, showing the unawareness of weight status severity in this low-income setting.

31 citations


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In the PERU MIGRANT study, a difference in the prevalence of common mental disorders, cognitive and structural social capital between migrant and urban groups was observed, suggesting that in this population migration per se does not impact on common mental health disorders or social capital.
Abstract: Objective This study aims to investigate whether there are differences in the prevalence of common mental disorders and social capital between migrant and non-migrant groups in Peru.

Journal ArticleDOI
05 Apr 2012-PLOS ONE
TL;DR: The results suggest that interventions for CVD in Peru should be sex-specific and address the unique health needs of migrant populations living in urban shantytowns since the risk factors for obesity and metabolic syndrome differ between males and females.
Abstract: Introduction Although men and women have similar risk factors for cardiovascular disease, many social behaviors in developing countries differ by sex. Rural-to-urban migrants have different cardiovascular risk profiles than rural or urban dwellers. The objective of this study was to evaluate the sex differences with specific cardiovascular risk factors in rural-to-urban migrants. Methods and Results We used the rural-to-urban migrant group of the PERU MIGRANT cross-sectional study to investigate the sex differences in specific cardiovascular risk factors: obesity, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, as well as exposures of socioeconomic status, acculturation surrogates and behavioral characteristics. Logistic regression analysis was used to characterize strength of association between sex and our outcomes adjusting for potential confounders. The sample of migrants was 589 (mean age 46.5 years) and 52.4% were female. In the adjusted models, women were more likely to be obese (OR=5.97; 95%CI: 3.21–11) and have metabolic syndrome (OR=2.22; 95%CI: 1.39–3.55) than men, explaining the greatest variability for obesity and metabolic syndrome but not for hypertension. Conclusions Our results suggest that interventions for CVD in Peru should be sex-specific and address the unique health needs of migrant populations living in urban shantytowns since the risk factors for obesity and metabolic syndrome differ between males and females.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Weight-for-length at birth and rate of change in weight- for-length in early childhood were positively associated with age- and sex-adjusted body mass index and a greater risk of being overweight in early adolescence, indicating that, in developing countries, growth failure in height persists through early adolescence.
Abstract: While childhood malnutrition is associated with increased morbidity and mortality, less well understood is how early childhood growth influences height and body composition later in life. We revisited 152 Peruvian children who participated in a birth cohort study between 1995 and 1998, and obtained anthropometric and bioimpedance measurements 11-14 years later. We used multivariable regression models to study the effects of childhood anthropometric indices on height and body composition in early adolescence. Each standard deviation decrease in length-for-age at birth was associated with a decrease in adolescent height-for-age of 0.7 SD in both boys and girls (all P < 0.001) and 9.7 greater odds of stunting (95% CI 3.3-28.6). Each SD decrease in length-for-age in the first 30 months of life was associated with a decrease in adolescent height-for-age of 0.4 in boys and 0.6 standard deviation in girls (all P < 0.001) and with 5.8 greater odds of stunting (95% CI 2.6-13.5). The effect of weight gain during early childhood on weight in early adolescence was more complex to understand. Weight-for-length at birth and rate of change in weight-for-length in early childhood were positively associated with age- and sex-adjusted body mass index and a greater risk of being overweight in early adolescence. Linear growth retardation in early childhood is a strong determinant of adolescent stature, indicating that, in developing countries, growth failure in height during early childhood persists through early adolescence. Interventions addressing linear growth retardation in childhood are likely to improve adolescent stature and related-health outcomes in adulthood.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: The main incentives for attracting and retaining health workers in rural and remote health facilities in Ayacucho, Peru were higher wages, opportunities for further training, longer/permanent contracts, better infrastructure and medical equipment, and more staff.
Abstract: The study aimed to identify the main incentives for attracting and retaining health workers in rural and remote health facilities in Ayacucho, Peru. In-depth interviews were performed with 80 physicians, obstetricians, nurses, and nurse technicians in the poorest areas (20 per group), plus 11 health managers. Ayacucho lacks systematic policies for attracting and retaining human resources. The main incentives, in order of relevance, were higher wages, opportunities for further training, longer/permanent contracts, better infrastructure and medical equipment, and more staff. Interviewees also mentioned improved housing conditions and food, the opportunity to be closer to family, and recognition by the health system. Health workers and policymakers share perceptions on key incentives to encourage work in rural areas. However, there are also singularities to be considered when designing specific strategies. Public initiatives thus need to be monitored and evaluated closely in order to ensure the intended impact.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: Assessment of current RTI interventions in Peru revealed substantial caveats, and fundamental negative effects on several components of the sectors and systems involved, and highlighted programmatic issues that should be applied to guarantee an effective implementation and evaluation of these policies.
Abstract: Evaluation of interventions on road traffic injuries (RTI) going beyond the assessment of impact to include factors underlying success or failure is an important complement to standard impact evaluations. We report here how we used a qualitative approach to assess current interventions implemented to reduce RTIs in Peru. We performed in-depth interviews with policymakers and technical officers involved in the implementation of RTI interventions to get their insight on design, implementation and evaluation aspects. We then conducted a workshop with key stakeholders to analyze the results of in-depth interviews, and to further discuss and identify key programmatic considerations when designing and implementing RTI interventions. We finally performed brainstorming sessions to assess potential system-wide effects of a selected intervention (Zero Tolerance), and to identify adaptation and redesign needs for this intervention. Key programmatic components were consistently identified that should be considered when designing and implementing RTI interventions. They include effective and sustained political commitment and planning; sufficient and sustained budget allocation; training, supervision, monitoring and evaluation of implemented policies; multisectoral participation; and strong governance and accountability. Brainstorming sessions revealed major negative effects of the selected intervention on various system building blocks. Our approach revealed substantial caveats in current RTI interventions in Peru, and fundamental negative effects on several components of the sectors and systems involved. It also highlighted programmatic issues that should be applied to guarantee an effective implementation and evaluation of these policies. The findings from this study were discussed with key stakeholders for consideration in further designing and planning RTI control interventions in Peru.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a modelo of capacidad and carga was proposed to consider the risk of acquiring enfermedades cronicas no transmisible in la etapa adulta.
Abstract: El presente articulo busca describir, en contexto, los distintos procesos de cambio por el que transcurren, en la actualidad, nuestras sociedades y poblaciones a fin de comprender mejor la emergencia de las enfermedades cronicas no transmisibles en paises de ingresos medios y bajos. Se describen aquellos factores relevantes para contextos especificos como el Peru, entre ellos migracion interna, urbanizacion y los perfiles de adversidad en etapas tempranas de la vida, todos vinculados con enfermedades cronicas no transmisibles, incluyendo el sobrepeso y la obesidad. Se describe el modelo de “capacidad y carga”, el cual considera al riesgo de adquirir una enfermedad cronica no transmisible en la etapa adulta como una funcion de dos rasgos geneticos: capacidad metabolica y carga metabolica. Se presenta tambien la contribucion de la migracion rural-urbana a esta problematica en nuestro medio. Finalmente, se mencionan los retos pendientes en este tema para la salud publica del Peru

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors evaluate the asociación entre frecuencia de ver television, sobrepeso, and obesidad in una muestra representativa de mujeres peruanas a nivel nacional.
Abstract: OBJETIVO: Evaluar la asociacion entre frecuencia de ver television, sobrepeso y obesidad en una muestra representativa de mujeres peruanas a nivel nacional. METODOS: Analisis secundario de la Encuesta Nacional Demografica y de Salud Familiar incluyendo mujeres de 15 a 49 anos. Las variables resultados fueron obesidad (indice de masa corporal >30 kg/m²) y sobrepeso (>25 peso <30 kg/m²); mientras que la exposicion fue la frecuencia de ver television (nunca, ocasionalmente, casi todos los dias). Se uso regresion logistica para analisis de muestras complejas segun el diseno de la encuesta ajustando por potenciales confusores. Los resultados fueron presentados como Odds Ratio ajustados (ORa) con sus respectivos intervalos de confianza al 95% (IC95%). RESULTADOS: Un total de 21.712 mujeres fueron incluidas en el analisis. La prevalencia de sobrepeso fue 34,7% (IC95% 33,8;35,7) y de obesidad fue 14,3% (IC95% 13,6;15,1). Las mujeres que veian television ocasionalmente y casi todos los dias tuvieron mayor probabilidad de tener obesidad: ORa 1,7 (IC95% 1,3;2,3) y ORa 2,6 (IC95% 2,0;3,5), respectivamente comparado con aquellas que nunca veian television. La magnitud de la asociacion fue menor para el caso de sobrepeso: ORa 1,2 (IC95% 1,3;2,3) y ORa 1,6 (IC95% 1,1;1,4), respectivamente. La fuerza de la asociacion fue mayor en el area urbana. CONCLUSIONES: En mujeres peruanas la frecuencia de ver television estuvo asociada con presentar obesidad y sobrepeso, y la fuerza de asociacion vario de acuerdo al area de residencia. Estos hallazgos deberian orientar las estrategias de prevencion de la obesidad en el contexto peruano.

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, the authors assess the association between frequency of television viewing, overweight and obesity in a nationally representative sample of Peruvian women and present as adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confi dence intervals (95%CI).
Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To assess the association between frequency of television viewing, overweight and obesity in a nationally representative sample of Peruvian women. METHODS: Secondary analysis of the Demographic and Health Survey 2008 including women aged from 15 to 49 years old. The outcome variables were obesity (body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m 2 ) and overweight (body mass index ≥ 25 but < 30 kg/m 2 ) whereas the exposure variable was frequency of television viewing (never, occasionally, almost every day). Logistic regression taking into account the multistage study design and adjusting for potential confounders was used. Results were presented as adjusted odds ratios (aOR) with 95% confi dence intervals (95%CI). RESULTS: A total of 21,712 women were included in the analysis. The prevalence of overweight was 34.7% (95%CI 33.8%;35.7%), and obesity prevalence was 14.3% (95%CI 13.6%;15.1%). Compared to women who never watched television, those who reported watching television occasionally and almost daily were more likely to be obese: aOR 1.7 (95%CI 1.3;–2.3) and aOR 2.6 (95%CI 2.0;3.5), respectively. The magnitude of this association was lower for overweight: aOR 1.2 (95CI 1.3;2.3) and aOR 1.6 (95%CI 1.1;1.4), respectively. The strength of the association was greater in urban areas. CONCLUSIONS: Frequency of television viewing was associated with overweight and obesity in Peruvian women and the strength of this association varied by area of residence. These fi ndings can provide input to strategies for obesity prevention in the Peruvian context. DESCRIPTORS: Women. Obesity, epidemiology. Sedentary Lifestyle. Television, utilization. Health Surveys.


Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: En mujeres peruanas la frecuencia de ver television estuvo asociada con presentar obesidad y sobrepeso, y the fuerza of asociacion vario de acuerdo al area of residencia fue mayor en el area urbana.
Abstract: OBJETIVO: Evaluar la asociacion entre frecuencia de ver television, sobrepeso y obesidad en una muestra representativa de mujeres peruanas a nivel nacional. METODOS: Analisis secundario de la Encuesta Nacional Demografica y de Salud Familiar incluyendo mujeres de 15 a 49 anos. Las variables resultados fueron obesidad (indice de masa corporal >30 kg/m2) y sobrepeso (>25 peso <30 kg/m2); mientras que la exposicion fue la frecuencia de ver television (nunca, ocasionalmente, casi todos los dias). Se uso regresion logistica para analisis de muestras complejas segun el diseno de la encuesta ajustando por potenciales confusores. Los resultados fueron presentados como Odds Ratio ajustados (ORa) con sus respectivos intervalos de confianza al 95% (IC95%). RESULTADOS: Un total de 21.712 mujeres fueron incluidas en el analisis. La prevalencia de sobrepeso fue 34,7% (IC95% 33,8;35,7) y de obesidad fue 14,3% (IC95% 13,6;15,1). Las mujeres que veian television ocasionalmente y casi todos los dias tuvieron mayor probabilidad de tener obesidad: ORa 1,7 (IC95% 1,3;2,3) y ORa 2,6 (IC95% 2,0;3,5), respectivamente comparado con aquellas que nunca veian television. La magnitud de la asociacion fue menor para el caso de sobrepeso: ORa 1,2 (IC95% 1,3;2,3) y ORa 1,6 (IC95% 1,1;1,4), respectivamente. La fuerza de la asociacion fue mayor en el area urbana. CONCLUSIONES: En mujeres peruanas la frecuencia de ver television estuvo asociada con presentar obesidad y sobrepeso, y la fuerza de asociacion vario de acuerdo al area de residencia. Estos hallazgos deberian orientar las estrategias de prevencion de la obesidad en el contexto peruano.