Early Determinants of Overweight and Obesity in Children Aged Under 2 Years in Mexico
Lucía Hernández-Barrera1, Belem Trejo-Valdivia1, Danilo Castro-Sifuentes2
1Center for Research in Nutrition and Health, Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública, Cuernavaca, Morelos, Mexico.
Insights
Infant obesity in Mexico is prevalent, affecting nearly 30% of children under two. Key risk factors include maternal overweight status, lower maternal education, and food insecurity, highlighting the need for early, comprehensive interventions.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Public Health
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Infant obesity presents a significant public health challenge in Mexico.
- Limited evidence exists on multilevel determinants of infant obesity during the critical first 1000 days.
- This study addresses the growing concern of childhood overweight and obesity in Mexican infants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between individual, maternal, and household factors and the prevalence of overweight and obesity in Mexican children under two years of age.
- To analyze multilevel determinants contributing to infant overweight and obesity at a national level.
- To identify specific risk factors for childhood overweight and obesity in Mexico.
Main Methods:
- Secondary analysis of the 2021 National Health and Nutrition Survey data.
- Inclusion of 185 mother-infant pairs.
- Calculation of body mass index Z-scores for overweight and obesity assessment and logistic regression models to evaluate associations with various factors.
Main Results:
- A combined prevalence of 29.7% for overweight and obesity was observed in infants under two years.
- Infants aged 0-11 months with overweight mothers working outside the home showed a high probability of overweight/obesity (0.87).
- Infants aged 12-23 months with mothers having lower education, who were married, had depression, or experienced food insecurity had a higher likelihood of overweight/obesity (0.885).
Conclusions:
- This study provides a national-level analysis of multiple risk factors for infant overweight and obesity in Mexico.
- Findings emphasize the critical need for early interventions targeting family and socioeconomic factors.
- A comprehensive approach is essential for effective childhood obesity prevention strategies.
Introduction:
Obesity in infants is a growing problem in Mexico, affecting children's well-being and increasing long-term health risks. Evidence of the multilevel determinants during the first 1000 days is limited. This study aimed to examine the relationship between individual, maternal, household and the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children under 2 years of age.
Methods:
A secondary analysis of the 2021 National Health and Nutrition Survey was conducted with a sample of 185 mother-infant binomials. To assess the combined prevalence of overweight and obesity (ow_ob) in infants, body mass index Z-scores were calculated by age and sex. By age group, multiple logistic regression models were adjusted to evaluate the association between childhood ow_ob and individual, maternal, household and place of residence variables.
Results:
A combined prevalence of overweight and obesity of 29.7% was found. In infants aged 0-11 months, the highest probability of ow_ob (pr_ob = 0.87) was amongst infants of overweight mothers who worked outside the home. In infants aged 12-23 months, the highest likelihood of ow_ob (pr_ob = 0.885) was for children whose mothers had lower levels of education, were married, had a diagnosis of depression and experienced moderate or severe food insecurity.
Conclusions:
This study is one of the first in Mexico to analyse multiple risk factors simultaneously at the national level, as it had a representative sample of children under 2 years old. The findings underscore the importance of early intervention and a comprehensive approach considering family and socioeconomic factors in childhood obesity prevention.
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