42% of the Cuban population is overweight

Obesity is a health problem in Cuba, since 42% of its population is overweight, reported the station Radio Rebelde . Of this group, 13% of the total are children.

Lilian Valdivia García, head of the nutritional support group of the National Center for Minimal Access Surgery, explained that if no action is taken, these minors will go through adolescence with obesity and will arrive . in adulthood with risk factors to suffer from diseases such as hypertension, diabetes and hypercholesterolemia (increased fat).

"Many patients who come to our offices with these diseases respond favorably to a diet plan that makes them lose weight, with it they compensate for their diabetes or they stop being, and d & # 39; Others eliminate hypertension, "revealed.

The specialist badured that obesity must be prevented from childhood.

"At the time of the snack instead of eating a biscuit, they can give the child a fruit that nourishes him and at the same time provides him with minerals and vitamins, necessary for his growth and development. It's not that they do not eat jams, but only one day, without it being the essence of their diet.Parents usually tend to give them empty calories. : soft drinks, sweets or sweets, "he said.

For the doctor, a balanced diet should first give priority to cereals and fruits; then, the vegetables; then the proteins, which provide the essential amino acids; in fourth place, dairy products, and finally, empty proteins: jams.

According to the specialist, the population has the false concept that only meat is a protein. "Protein is also a dish of rice with beans, because legumes are." The egg is the highest biological value protein that exists.Sometimes it goes to the market and instead of buying fruits and vegetables, we choose empty calories and other products that do not provide vitamins or other nutrients necessary for the body, "he said

. between 18.5 and 24.9 If it is greater than 25 and 29.9, it is said that the patient is overweight, and above 30 is considered obese.When he is 40 years old, the person presents a super obesity [19659002] The poor nutrition of Cubans is due to the shortage of products and their high prices.The consumption of animal protein or its derivatives is an odyssey.Pork is the most affordable, which does not mean that it's cheap, beef is prohibitive and in some places, is sold at 52 CUC the kilo in a country where the average salary is 740 Cuban pesos (CUP), or 29.6 CUC.

Food production does not take off quite. Poultry farming, for example, contributes today a little more than [5,89 millions] eggs a day a figure that is far from enough to cover the demand. And to eat potato, basic tuber on the Cuban table, you have to endure long waits and many tails.