El Salvador
Upper-middle income
- Overview
- Obesity prevalence
- Contextual factors
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National obesity risk *8/10This 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
Comorbidities
Economic impact
Policies
Contextual factors
Obesity prevalence
Adults, 2014-2015
| Survey type: | Measured |
| Age: | 20+ |
| Sample size: | 4817 |
| Area covered: | National |
| References: | Ministerio de Salud/Instituto Nacional de Salud. Encuesta nacional de enfermedades crónicas no transmisibles en población adulta de El Salvador ENECAELS 2015, Resultados relevantes. San Salvador, El Salvador: Ministerio de Salud e Instituto Nacional de Salud. https://www.salud.gob.sv/archivos/comunicaciones/archivos_comunicados2017/pdf/presentaciones_evento20032017/01-ENECA-ELS-2015.pdf |
| 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: | 1156 |
| 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 AREA ONLY: San Salvador |
| Unless otherwise noted, overweight refers to a BMI between 25kg and 29.9kg/m², obesity refers to a BMI greater than 30kg/m². | |
Children, 2015-2016
| Survey type: | Measured |
| Age: | 6-10 |
| Sample size: | 111991 |
| Area covered: | National |
| References: | Pérez W, Melgar P, Garcés A, de Marquez AD, Merino G, Siu C. Overweight and obesity of school-age children in El Salvador according to two international systems: a population-based multilevel and spatial analysis. BMC Public Health. 2020 May 14;20(1):687. doi: 10.1186/s12889-020-08747-w. PMID: 32410611; PMCID: PMC7227092. |
| Cutoffs: | IOTF |
Children, 2013
| Survey type: | Self-reported |
| Age: | 13-15 |
| Sample size: | 1915 |
| Area covered: | National |
| References: | Global School-based Student Health Survey (GSHS), available at https://www.who.int/ncds/surveillance/gshs/2013_El_Salvador_GSHS_Fact_Sheet.pdf?ua=1 (last accessed 25.11.20) |
| Cutoffs: | WHO |
0-5 years, 2014
| Age: | 0-5 |
| Sample size: | 7189 |
| References: | MICS: Encuesta nacional de salud 2014 - Encuesta de indicadores multiples por conglomerados 2014, Resultados principales. San Salvador, El Salvador: Ministerio de Salud e Instituto Nacional de Salud. |
| 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
| Age: | 0-5 |
| Sample size: | 603579 |
| References: | RHS: Encuesta nacional de salud familiar, FESAL 2008. Informe resumido. San Salvador, El Salvador: ADS, 2009 |
| 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, 2002-2003
| Age: | 0-5 |
| Sample size: | 6337 |
| References: | RHS: Encuesta nacional de salud familiar (FESAL) 2002/03. Informe final. |
| 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, 1998
| Age: | 0-5 |
| Sample size: | 13645 |
| References: | RHS: National family health survey 1998: final report (FESAL-98). San Salvador, Republica de San Salvador, C.A., 2000 |
| 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, 1993
| Age: | 0-5 |
| Sample size: | 7784 |
| References: | RHS: National family health survey 1993 (FESAL-93). San Salvador: Government of El Salvador, 1994 |
| 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, 1988
| Age: | 0-5 |
| Sample size: | 1994 |
| References: | NNS: Evaluacion de la situacion alimentaria nutricional en El Salvador (ESANES-88). Ministerio de Salud Publica y Asistencia Social. San Salvador, El Salvador, 1990 |
| 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 |
