A 2006 National Health Survey said 70 percent of Mexicans have weight problems. Forty percent are obese, while another 30 percent are overweight.
Blanca Esquivel, a nutritionist, told EFE News, "The problems of obesity are already more common from early ages, it is increasingly more common to see a child of 7 or 8 with an adult weight of 132 pounds (60 kilos)."
Nutritionists also pointed to the high fat content and overeating during parties as the other reasons behind the excessive horizontal expansion of many Mexicans. On a per capita basis, Mexico is the world's largest consumers of hamburgers, pizzas and soft drinks, replacing the traditional Mexican diet of corn, beans, vegetables and meat.
The growing obesity problem of Mexico is more pronounced among children and teenagers with obesity and excess weight levels rising to 28.7 percent in 2006 from 21.9 percent in 1999.
The obesity problem is felt mostly in states with large Indian populations such as Chiapas and Oaxaca.
An increase in incidents of weight-related diseases has been observed with the rise of obesity in Mexico. Diabetes cost the state coffers $15.1 billion in 2000, measured by reduced productivity and lost income due to premature deaths, the World Health Organization said.
