Paraguay experiencing troubling obesity epidemic, researchers warn

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Dr. María Paniagua, director of the National Cardiovascular Prevention Program, said that Paraguay is experiencing a troubling obesity epidemic.

“We are mainly concerned with adults and youth, considering that over 60% of adults and 40% of children are obese, 6 out of 10 adults are obese. Covid has much to do with this because people have been locked up for a long time, without exercising and also because of stress. In general, people tend to ease their anxiety by consuming unhealthy foods,” she said.

She also pointed out that in the last survey, conducted in 2011, the percentage of obese people was high, but that the figures have shot up since the start of the pandemic, not only in Paraguay, but also worldwide.

Paniagua noted that obesity is highest among women and mainly in the 40 to 64 age group. “In 2019, some 20,127 people were consulted (16,746 women and 3,384 men). In 2020, 39,573 were checked (33,108 women and 6,465 men) despite the pandemic, because we implemented telemedicine consultation, and this year through August 2021, we have registered 21,191 cases (16,483 women and 4,708 men),” she said.

“It is worrying because we know that obesity is the underlying cause of other diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, cholesterol, sedentary lifestyle, stress and we see that in a short time they develop even more severe conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, we see many young people with heart attacks, strokes, cancer and other pathologies,” she said.