The double burden of malnutrition in Peru: An update with a focus on social inequities

Abstract

Background: The decrease in stunting in Peru is seen as a "success story" in the fight against malnutrition; however, the parallel increase in obesity has often been ignored.

Objective: To investigate trends in the double burden of malnutrition (i.e., the coexistence of stunting and overweight/obesity) in Peru compared with trends in household food expenditures by family socioeconomic status and urban/rural residency.

Methods: Using Peruvian nationally representative surveys, we analyzed stunting (children aged 0-5 y) and overweight/obesity (women aged 18-49 y) trends between 1992 and 2017, as well as trends in household energy consumption from healthy and unhealthy foods between 2001 and 2017 by education, income, participation in the Juntos cash-transfer program, and urban/rural residency. Joinpoint software was used for all trends analyses.

Results: Overall, stunting decreased and obesity increased among all social groups between 1992 and 2017. Inequities in stunting by income and urban/rural residency widened over time. From 1992 to 2017, urban stunting prevalence decreased at an average annual percent change (AAPC) of -4.5% (SE = 0.27%, P < 0.0001), whereas rural stunting prevalence decreased at a lower AAPC of -2.6% (SE = 0.30%, P < 0.0001). On the contrary, inequities in obesity narrowed as obesity prevalence among women from the extremely poor group and those living in rural areas increased at a faster rate than that of their counterparts. Rural obesity prevalence increased at an AAPC of 8.5% (SE = 1.14%, P < 0.0001), whereas urban obesity prevalence increased at an AAPC of 2.0% (SE = 0.25%, P < 0.0001). Increases in energy consumption from unhealthy foods were observed along with decreases in energy consumption from healthy foods in most social groups.

Conclusion: The prevalence of stunting and obesity is high in Peru. The need for multisectoral interventions addressing both ends of the malnutrition spectrum, particularly among disadvantaged groups to avoid further widening of social inequities, is warranted.

Keywords: Peru; double burden of malnutrition; obesity; overweight; social inequities; stunting.