Burden of overweight and obesity in Mexico from 1990 to 2021

Héctor Arreola-Ornelas; Gustavo A Merino-Juárez; David Contreras-Loya; Oscar Méndez-Carniado; Linda Morales-Juárez; Daniel Bernal-Serrano; Klaudia A Arizmendi-Barrera; Carolina Vargas-Martínez; Christian Razo; Felicia M Knaul; Emmanuela Gakidou; Xiaochen Dai; Rebecca Cogen; Noah S Ahmad

doi:10.24875/GMM.M24000836

Burden of overweight and obesity in Mexico from 1990 to 2021

Gac Med Mex. 2023;159(6):543-556. doi: 10.24875/GMM.M24000836.

Authors

Héctor Arreola-Ornelas^{1

2}, Gustavo A Merino-Juárez^{1

3}, David Contreras-Loya^{1

3}, Oscar Méndez-Carniado⁴, Linda Morales-Juárez^{1

3}, Daniel Bernal-Serrano³, Klaudia A Arizmendi-Barrera^{1

3}, Carolina Vargas-Martínez^{1

3}, Christian Razo^{5

6}, Felicia M Knaul^{4

2

7}, Emmanuela Gakidou^{5

6}, Xiaochen Dai^{5

6}, Rebecca Cogen⁵, Noah S Ahmad⁵

Affiliations

¹ Public Policies Unit, Institute of Research on Obesity, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico.
² Fundación Mexicana para la Salud, A. C., Mexico City, Mexico.
³ School of Government and Public Transformation, Tecnológico de Monterrey, Mexico City, Mexico.
⁴ Tómatelo a Pecho, A. C., Mexico City, Mexico.
⁵ Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America.
⁶ Department of Health Metrics Sciences, School of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, United States of America.
⁷ Institute for Advanced Study of the Americas, University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, United States of America.

PMID: 38386886
DOI: 10.24875/GMM.M24000836

Abstract
in English, Spanish

Background: Overweight and obesity (OW/OB) represent a serious challenge in Mexico, with effects on health, society and economy. Demographic, epidemiological, nutritional, social and economic factors have exacerbated this problem.

Objective: To analyze mortality and years of healthy life lost in Mexico due to OW/OB in the 1990-2021 period.

Material and methods: The Global Burden of Disease and Risk Factors 2021 study was used to analyze data on elevated body mass index (BMI) as a risk factor and its evolution in Mexico.

Results: In 2021, 118 thousand deaths attributable to high BMI were recorded, which accounted for 10.6% of total deaths and more than 4.2 million disability-adjusted life years lost.

Conclusions: The obesogenic environment, influenced by social determinants of health, has had a significant impact on mortality, burden of disease, and economic costs. Addressing OW/OB requires multisector interventions to strengthen the Mexican health system.

Antecedentes: El sobrepeso y la obesidad constituyen un grave desafío en México, con efectos en la salud, sociedad y economía. Factores demográficos, epidemiológicos, nutricionales, sociales y económicos han agravado esta problemática.

Objetivo: Analizar la mortalidad y los años de vida saludable perdidos en México por sobrepeso y obesidad en el período de 1990 a 2021.

Material y métodos: Se utilizó el Global Burden of Disease 2021 para analizar los datos sobre índice de masa corporal elevado como factor de riesgo y su evolución en México.

Resultados: En 2021 se registraron 118 mil muertes atribuibles a índice de masa corporal elevado, que representaron 10.6 % del total de muertes y más de 4.2 millones de años de vida perdidos ajustados por discapacidad.

Conclusiones: El ambiente obesogénico, influido por determinantes sociales, ha tenido un impacto significativo en la mortalidad, la carga de enfermedad y los costos económicos. Abordar el sobrepeso y la obesidad requiere intervenciones multisectoriales para fortalecer el sistema de salud mexicano.

Keywords: Burden of disease; Carga de la enfermedad; Healthcare system; Mexico; México; Obesidad; Obesity; Overweight; Sistema de salud; Sobrepeso.

MeSH terms

Health Status
Humans
Mexico / epidemiology
Obesity* / epidemiology
Overweight* / epidemiology
Risk Factors

Abstract in English, Spanish

MeSH terms

Abstract
in English, Spanish