Public policies and interventions to prevent excess weight in Mexico: analysis from an intersectional perspective

Abstract

The scope of this article is to analyze public policies and interventions (PPI) prevailing in 2022 at the national level for the prevention of excess weight (overweight and obesity) in the adult population of Mexico, from an intersection-al perspective. We performed documental analysis of PPI to prevent excess weight in Mexico in adulthood by applying a methodology for policy analysis based on intersectionality (Intersection-ality-Based Policy Analysis Framework). A total of nine PPI were analyzed. The extent to which the PPI design considers an intersectional perspective is heterogeneous in the documents ana-lyzed. In the definition of the problem, we iden-tified two main tendencies, namely reductionist and holistic. Both are combined in a variable way in the PPI, revealing internal contradictions in their design. Most PPI consider relatively few cas-es of social inequality, and as an additive rather than an intersectional consideration. Overall, the PPI consider social inequalities predominantly in the definition of the problem and, to a far lesser extent, in the proposed solutions and in the con-sultation and negotiation processes. The consideration of the intersectional nature of the problem of excess weight in PPI is important to address the unequal epidemic of excess weight.