Browsing by Author "Sifontes, Yaritza"

Now showing 1 - 4 of 4
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Anthropometric Profile of Latin American Population: Results From the ELANS Study
    (2021) Herrera-Cuenca, Marianella; Kovalskys, Irina; Gerardi, Alejandro; Hernandez, Pablo; Sifontes, Yaritza; Gomez, Georgina; Yepez Garcia, Martha Cecilia; Mendez-Perez, Betty; Landaeta-Jimenez, Maritza; Pareja, Rossina; Cortes, Lilia Yadira; Rigotti, Attilio; Fisberg, Mauro; Zimberg, Iona Zalcman
    Background: Latin America has experienced changes in lifestyle since 1960.Aim: The aim was to determine the prevalence of obesity and stunting among eight countries of Latin American and to identify the determinant risk factors for obesity.Subjects and Methods: Data were obtained from 9,218 participants of the Latin American Study of Nutrition and Health (ELANS), a multicenter cross-sectional study of the representative samples in eight Latin American countries. All the participants completed a standard protocol to investigate the nutrient intake and anthropometric variables (weight, height, and circumferences) analyzed by country, gender, age, and socioeconomic status.Results: The prevalence of obesity was higher in Costa Rica and Venezuela (29%) and lower in Colombia (16%), stunting was reported higher in Peru (47%) and lower in Argentina (17%), and waist and neck circumferences showed the higher values in Costa Rica (43%) and Chile (52%) and lower values in Colombia (23 and 26%).Conclusion: This study indicates an increasing trend toward overweight and obesity that are associated with lower socioeconomic status, being a woman, and concurs with inadequate intakes of calcium, which may be related to poor quality diet and in the long term could constitute risk factors for the chronic diseases and a health burden to the region.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Contribution of Proteins to the Latin American Diet: Results of the ELANS Study
    (2023) Herrera-Cuenca, Marianella; Garcia, Martha Cecilia Yepez; Sanabria, Lilia Yadira Cortes; Hernandez, Pablo; Sifontes, Yaritza; Ramirez, Guillermo; Vasquez, Maura; Gomez, Georgina; Liria-Dominguez, Maria Reyna; Rigotti, Attilio; Fisberg, Mauro; Kovaslkys, Irina; Landaeta-Jimenez, Maritza
    Dietary protein intake is vital to life. Here we sought to characterize dietary sources of protein in eight Latin American countries. Survey data were collected for Estudio Latinoamericano de Nutricion y Salud (ELANS); participants were from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela (n = 9218, 15-65 years old). The primary aim of this analysis was to quantify per-person daily protein consumption by country and sociodemographic factors. Secondary aims: to quantify proportional intake of proteins by source, amount and processing, and to determine the adequacy of protein/essential amino acid intake. Younger groups (adolescents 15-19 years, adults 20-33 years) had the highest intake of proteins; middle-aged adults (34-49 years) had a lower intake, and older adults (50-65 years) had a strikingly lower intake. Protein consumption was higher in men than women. Animal proteins comprised nearly 70% of total daily protein intake in Argentina and Venezuela, contrasting with <60% in Peru, Chile, and Costa Rica. Brazil and Venezuela showed the highest protein intake within the highest education level. The higher the socioeconomic level, the higher the protein intake, except for Argentina, Chile, and Peru. Proportional intake of animal- and plant-based protein generally reflected the food availability by country. This study presents a pre-pandemic regional baseline and offers a perspective for future studies of changes related to government policies, climate, and dietary practices.
  • Thumbnail Image
    Item
    Energy imbalance gap was associated with body mass index and sex in Latin American adolescents-results from the ELANS study
    (2024) Hernandez, Pablo; Herrera-Cuenca, Marianella; Ferrari, Gerson; Almeida, Rafaela Yepez; Garcia, Martha Cecilia Yepez; Caceres, Monica Villar; Sanabria, Lilia Yadira Cortes; Sifontes, Yaritza; Landaeta-Jimenez, Maritza; Gomez, Georgina; Monge-Rojas, Rafael; Pareja, Rossina G.; Rigotti, Attilio; Kovalskys, Irina; Fisberg, Mauro
    Introduction Energy imbalance gap (EIG) is defined as the average daily difference between energy intake (EI) and energy expenditure (EE). This study aimed to examine the associations between EIG and sociodemographic and anthropometric variables in the adolescent population of eight Latin America countries. Methods A total of 680 adolescents aged 15 to 18 were included in this study. The estimation of EI was based on two non-consecutive 24-h dietary recalls. EE was predicted from Schofield equations using physical activity level obtained through the long version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire. Sociodemographic data and anthropometric measurements were also obtained. A descriptive analysis and multilevel linear regression models were used to examine associations between variables. Results The mean EI, EE, and EIG were 2091.3 kcal, 2067.8 kcal, and 23.5 kcal, respectively. Argentina had the highest EI and EIG, whereas Chile had the lowest EI and EIG. Males had a higher EI (2262.4 kcal) and EE (2172.2 kcal) than females (1930.1 kcal and 2084.5 kcal), respectively (p < 0.05). Overweight subjects had a lower EIG than did underweight and normal-weight subjects (p < 0.05). Subjects with low socioeconomic status (SES) had a lower EE (2047.0 kcal) than those with a high SES (2164.2 kcal) (p < 0.05). Conclusion Sex and BMI were associated with EIG in adolescents from Latin America.
  • No Thumbnail Available
    Item
    Inadequate Intake of Choline and Essential Fatty Acids in Latin American Childbearing-Age Women as a Regional Pre-Conceptional Disadvantage: ELANS Results
    (2024) Herrera-Cuenca, Marianella; Garcia, Martha Cecilia Yepez; Sanabria, Lilia Yadira Cortes; Hernandez, Pablo; Ramirez, Guillermo; Vasquez, Maura; Sifontes, Yaritza; Gomez, Georgina; Liria-Dominguez, Maria Reyna; Rigotti, Attilio; Fisberg, Mauro; Kovalkys, Irina; Landaeta-Jimenez, Maritza
    Background/Objectives: Choline and essential fatty acids (EFA) are vital for fetal brain development, supporting pregnancy, and maintaining hormonal balance. They also promote overall health. The childbearing years present a window of opportunity to increase the intake of these key nutrients and develop healthy dietary habits. The aims of this study were to evaluate the intake of choline and EFA in women of childbearing age (15-49 years old), identify their food sources and determine if supplements containing choline and EFA were available across the Estudio Latinoamericano de Nutrici & oacute;n y Salud (ELANS) countries. Methods: Survey data were collected for the ELANS, including participants from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru, and Venezuela (n = 9218; 15-65 years old). Women of childbearing age were extracted from the largest database (n = 3704). Results: In general, choline intake was inadequate in all countries, while EFA intake was normal or above requirements. Chile had the lowest intake of choline, and Colombia had the highest. The results showed that some countries had more inadequate choline intake than others. Consuming a larger quantity of eggs helped reduce choline inadequacy, as did including eggs and fish in the diet. The intake of EFA, including ALA, EPA, and DHA, showed variability. The contributions of EPA and DHA were lower than that of ALA, and the results differed by age group. Conclusions: choline intake is inadequate, and EFA intake is variable among women of childbearing age in the ELANS study. More awareness and education are needed to achieve better intake of these nutrients.