Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 1, 2026
Measuring the Functional Abilities of Children Aged 3-6 Years Old with Observational Methods and Computer Tools
Published on: June 20, 2020
Obesity Among Peruvian Children Under Five Years of Age in 2017: a Geographic Information System Analysis
1Image Processing Research Laboratory (INTI-Lab), Universidad de Ciencias y Humanidades, Lima, Peru.
Insights
Childhood obesity is a significant concern in Peru. Spatial analysis reveals the coast has the highest prevalence, with specific districts identified as future high-risk areas requiring urgent intervention to combat this health issue.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
- Geographic Information Systems (GIS)
Background:
- Childhood obesity is a major global health challenge, hindering progress towards Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 2, which aims to end malnutrition.
- Addressing childhood obesity is crucial for achieving comprehensive nutritional goals.
Purpose of the Study:
- To spatially analyze the prevalence of obesity among Peruvian children under five years of age in 2017.
- To identify high-risk regions and districts for childhood obesity in Peru.
Main Methods:
- Utilized geo-referenced public health data from Peru's National Institute of Health.
- Employed Geographic Information System (GIS) tools to map prevalence, clusters, and outliers at regional and district levels.
Main Results:
- The coastal region of Peru exhibits the highest prevalence rates of childhood obesity.
- Identified specific districts as outliers, indicating a future risk of becoming obesity hotspots if interventions are not implemented.
Conclusions:
- Urgent, targeted resource allocation is recommended for high-risk districts to mitigate childhood obesity.
- Addressing regional disparities in childhood obesity is essential for achieving SDG 2 goals.
Introduction:
The Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 2 aims to end malnutrition in all its forms. To reach this goal one of the several health problems to tackle is childhood obesity.
Aim:
In this study, spatial data for the prevalence of obesity among Peruvian children under five years of age in 2017 is presented and analyzed in order to observe in which regions this disease is a high risk.
Material And Methods:
By geo-referencing public data provided by the National Institute of Health from Peru and using a Geographic Information System (GIS) tool, it was possible to generate maps of prevalences and also of clusters and outliers at a regional and district level, respectively.
Results:
Observing at the map of prevalences, it could be identified that in the natural region of the coast there are the highest prevalences of obesity among children under five. A second map showing the hot spots and the outliers is also presented. This second map is very revealing because it shows the districts which are classified as outliers and thus in danger of becoming hot spots for childhood obesity in the future if no action is taken.
Conclusion:
In view of the spatial distribution of hot spots and outliers of obesity among children under five years of age, it is recommended that health governmental and non-governmental entities from Peru allocate their resources where is urgently needed in order to attempt to reduce childhood obesity, and helping in reaching as well SDG 2.
Related Concept Videos
01:24Obesity
01:25Selected Data About Geographic Locations
01:26Aging
Cellular Clock Theory
The cellular clock theory posits that the human lifespan is closely tied to the finite capacity of cells to divide, a phenomenon governed by telomeres, which are protective caps at the ends of...
01:21Drug Dosing: Obese Patients
01:19The Effect of Aging on Tissues
01:35Pedigree Analysis