Chronic Degenerative Diseases Before and After the COVID-19 Pandemic in Mexico

Abstract

Lifestyle choices are of the utmost importance when discussing disease prevention and treatment. Time and again, doctors and scientists have proven that pre-existing conditions are almost always a risk factor for disease severity in both non-communicable and transmitted diseases as well as acute and chronic. Since 2002, the World Health Organization (WHO) has shed light on one of the main concerns that amount to the development of chronic illness, obesity. This was approached through a document titled "Diet, Nutrition and the Prevention of Chronic Diseases", that discussed in depth the way nutritional habits and lifestyle choices are deeply related to the growing epidemic of chronic diseases. To this effect, in the year 2014 the World Health Organization (WHO) predicted that chronic degenerative diseases would be the primary health issue by 2020 [1]. Metabolic Diseases in Mexico 5-15 years ago, in Mexico, Diabetes Mellitus (DM) was the primary cause of death for 33% of women and 26% of men. The WHO said that more than 50% of deaths worldwide were due to chronic illness and that, this percentage would increase by 17% in the next 10 years, this has already come true [2]. From a sociocultural perspective, there are inherent aspects of these factors that cause significant problems. The "normal" diet in the Mexican population is taught from prior generations and has several economic and political factors that surround it. In this manner, nutritional habits are a reflection of our surroundings. Mexico has a cultural and social tendency towards high caloric diets, with simple carbohydrates and saturated fats, which has led to a genetic predisposition for degenerative chronic illness in the population, based on malnutrition. This includes the whole spectrum, from undernutrition to overweight and obesity [3]. According to the National Health and Nutrition Survey (ENSANUT) of 2018, Mexico has the following prevalence for the diseases associated with Metabolic Syndrome: a) Diabetes Mellitus: 10.3 %, 8.6 million people, in a population of 20 years or older. b) Systemic Arterial Hypertension: 18.4 %, 15.2 million people, in a population of 20 years or older. 26.% in a population of 70 years or older. c) Dyslipidemia: 19.5 %, in a population of 20 years or older. d) Overweight: 8.2 % in a population of 0-4 years old. 18.1 % in a population of 5-11 years old. 23.8 % in a population of 12-19 years old. 39.1 % in a population of 20 years or older. e) Obesity: 17.5 % in a population of 5-11 years old. 14.6 % in a population of 12-19 years old. 36.1 % in a population of 20 years or older [4]. For overweight and obesity, the parameter is Body Mass Index (BMI), however, current research has observed that Fat Mass Index (FMI) is a more precise indicator to classify weight with. With this index, research shows that the Mexican pediatric population (ages 6-12) tends to develop adipose hypertrophy (measured with FMI),