Processed foods contribute to obesity in Guatemala
The increase in consumption of processed foods contributes significantly to the high rate of obesity and overweight in Guatemala, the ninth poorest country in Latin America and the Caribbean, according to study published in the Journal Health Economics (December edition 2009).
Obesity and overweight, some of the major risk factors for death from non-contagious diseases, is increasing in developing countries due to dietary changes. In the past, it was preferable to consume staple foods and whole grains, now the trend is to eat highly processed foods, high in salt, sugar and saturated fat, and with few fibers and other essential nutrients.