| This thesis presents a comparison of indicators and prevalence of obesity in women from Cali, Colombia between the years of 1987 and 2007, and between three socioeconomic groups. The subjects were 1572 non-pregnant, non-lactating (NPNL) women between the ages of 18 to 44 in 1987, and 580 NPNL women in 2007. Prevalence of obesity was indicated by changes in body mass index, and indicators of obesity include skinfold thicknesses (measures of fat distribution). Anthropometric measurements were collected by an experienced technician; these measurements included stature, weight, skinfold thicknesses, limb and truncal circumferences, and the calculated variables body mass index, sum of skinfolds, subscapular-to-triceps ratio, waist-to-hip ratio, upper arm muscle area, and calf muscle area.;In general, between the years of 1987 and 2007, prevalence and indicators of obesity were found to increase most dramatically in women of the lowest socioeconomic group. In 2007, prevalence of obesity was greatest in the lowest socioeconomic group, as compared to the highest socioeconomic group. While these are negative signs regarding changes in nutritional status, stature was shown to increase in all socioeconomic groups between 1987 and 2007, indicating a positive trend in childhood nutrition in the last twenty years in Cali.;These trends are consistent with the nutrition transition, a model developed by Barry M. Popkin (1993) that describes the increase in obesity in the developing world. Contributing factors of the trend are not yet clear. The results from Cali and raise concern regarding public health risks associated with obesity, including cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, and some types of cancer. |
