Costa Rica
High income
- Overview
- Obesity prevalence
- Contextual factors
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National obesity risk *7.5/10This is a composite ‘obesity risk’ score (out of 10, the highest risk) based on obesity prevalence, rate of increase, likelihood of meeting the 2025 target, treatment indicator and childhood stunting levels.Childhood obesity risk *7.5/11This is a ‘risk score’ for each country’s likelihood of having or acquiring a major childhood obesity problem during the 2020s, taking account of current prevalence levels and risk for future obesity (based on stunting among infants, maternal obesity, maternal smoking, and breastfeeding rates).
Report cards
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Population breakdowns
Drivers
Insufficient activity
Soft drink consumption
Fruit consumption
Vegetable consumption
Fast food consumption
Processed meat consumption
Grains consumption
Depression
Anxiety
Roots of obesity »
Like all chronic diseases, the root causes/drivers of obesity are complex. Select here to view 'other' root causes/drivers.Breastfeeding
Unaffordable diet
Comorbidities
Economic impact
Policies
Contextual factors
Obesity prevalence
Adults, 2008-2009
| Survey type: | Measured |
| Sample size: | 988 men, 1647 Women |
| Area covered: | National |
| References: | Costa Rica National Nutrition Survey 2008-2009. https://www.ministeriodesalud.go.cr/index.php/biblioteca-de-archivos/centro-de-informacion/material-publicado/investigaciones/encuestas-de-salud/encuestas-de-nutricion/2731-encuesta-nacional-de-nutricion-2008-2009-fasciculo-1-antropometria/file (Accessed 08.10.21) |
| Notes: | NB. Combined adult data estimated. These estimates were calculated by weighting male and female survey results. Weighting based on World Bank Population % total female 2020 (https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL.FE.ZS - accessed 05.10.21) |
| Unless otherwise noted, overweight refers to a BMI between 25kg and 29.9kg/m², obesity refers to a BMI greater than 30kg/m². | |
Adults, 2003-2006
| Survey type: | Measured |
| Age: | 20+ |
| Sample size: | 1139 |
| Area covered: | Regional |
| References: | Pan American Health Organization. The Central America Diabetes Initiative (CAMDI): Survey of Diabetes, Hypertension and Chronic Disease Risk Factors. Belize, San José, San Salvador, Guatemala City, Managua and Tegucigalpa Washington, D.C.: PAHO, 2011 |
| Notes: | Urban: San Jose |
| Unless otherwise noted, overweight refers to a BMI between 25kg and 29.9kg/m², obesity refers to a BMI greater than 30kg/m². | |
Children, 2016
| Survey type: | Measured |
| Age: | 6-12 |
| Sample size: | 347366 |
| Area covered: | National |
| References: | Gamboa-Gamboa, T., Fantin, R., Cordoba, J., Caravaca, I., & Gómez-Duarte, I. (2021). Relationship between childhood obesity and socioeconomic status among primary school children in Costa Rica. Public Health Nutrition, 1-24. doi:10.1017/S1368980021002032 https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/public-health-nutrition/article/abs/relationship-between-childhood-obesity-and-socioeconomic-status-among-primary-school-children-in-costa-rica/CF0EFAD6CA3F21C42695A675DA5C45A5 (Last accessed 18.05.21) |
| Notes: | NB. Combined child data estimated. These estimates were calculated by weighting male and female survey results. Weighting based on World Bank Population % total female 2019 (https://data.worldbank.org/indicator/SP.POP.TOTL.FE.ZS - accessed 21.10.20)' |
| Cutoffs: | WHO |
Children, 2009
| Survey type: | Self-reported |
| Age: | 13-15 |
| Sample size: | 2679 |
| Area covered: | National |
| References: | Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS), available at https://www.who.int/ncds/surveillance/gshs/Costa_Rica_2009_FS.pdf (last accessed 03.11.20) |
| Cutoffs: | WHO |
0-5 years, 2018
| Age: | 0-5 |
| Sample size: | 310954 |
| References: | MICS: Encuesta de Mujeres, Niñez y Adolescencia (EMNA), Informe de resultados de la encuesta. San José, Costa Rica. 2019 |
| Notes: | UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Joint Child Malnutrition Estimates Expanded Database: Overweight (Survey Estimates), May 2023, New York. For more information about the methodology, please consult https://data.unicef.org/resources/jme-2023-country-consultations/ Percentage of children under 5 years of age falling above 2 standard deviations (moderate and severe) from the median weight-for-height of the reference population. |
| Definitions: | =>+2SD |
0-5 years, 2008-2009
| Age: | 0-5 |
| References: | NNS: Encuesta nacional de nutricion 2008-2009. San Jose, Costa Rica, 2011. |
| Notes: | UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Joint Child Malnutrition Estimates Expanded Database: Overweight (Survey Estimates), May 2023, New York. For more information about the methodology, please consult https://data.unicef.org/resources/jme-2023-country-consultations/ Percentage of children under 5 years of age falling above 2 standard deviations (moderate and severe) from the median weight-for-height of the reference population. |
| Definitions: | =>+2SD |
0-5 years, 1996
| Age: | 0-5 |
| Sample size: | 1008 |
| References: | NNS: Encuesta nacional de nutricion, San Jose, Costa Rica, 1996 |
| Notes: | UNICEF/WHO/World Bank Joint Child Malnutrition Estimates Expanded Database: Overweight (Survey Estimates), May 2023, New York. For more information about the methodology, please consult https://data.unicef.org/resources/jme-2023-country-consultations/ Percentage of children under 5 years of age falling above 2 standard deviations (moderate and severe) from the median weight-for-height of the reference population. |
| Definitions: | =>+2SD |
