International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health
Volume 16, Issue 21, 2019

Food security and obesity among Mexican agricultural migrant workers (Article) (Open Access)

Castañeda J. , Caire-Juvera G. , Sandoval S. , Castañeda P.A. , Contreras A.D. , Portillo G.E. , Ortega-Vélez M.I.*
  • a Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, Hermosillo, 83304, Mexico
  • b Nutrition Division, Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, Hermosillo, 83304, Mexico
  • c Regional Development Division, Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, Hermosillo, 83304, Mexico
  • d Social Sciences Division, University of Sonora, Hermosillo, 83000, Mexico
  • e Nutrition Division, Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, Hermosillo, 83304, Mexico
  • f Nutrition Division, Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, Hermosillo, 83304, Mexico
  • g Nutrition Division, Centro de Investigación en Alimentación y Desarrollo, Hermosillo, 83304, Mexico

Abstract

Mexican migrant farm workers are one of the poorest and most marginalized social groups within the country. They face the double burden of malnutrition, food insecurity, as well as harsh living and labor conditions. Objective: To examine the relationship between household food insecurity (HFI) and obesity in a population of migrant farm workers in highly modernized agribusiness areas of Northwest Mexico. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study with a concentric (site) (n = 146 households) and systematic selection of participants (adult men and women). Methods included questionnaires regarding socio-demographic characteristics, food security, diet (two non-consecutive 24-h recalls), and physical activity (PA). Anthropometric data included height, weight, and waist circumference. Data analysis covered descriptive statistics, multivariate linear and logistic regression. Results: Sample showed 75% prevalence of overweight and obesity, while 87% of households reported some level of HFI. Mild HFI resulted in five times more probability of farm workers’ obesity (OR = 5.18, 95% CI: 1.37–19.58). However, there was a protective effect of HFI for obesity among men (OR 0.089, 95% CI: 0.01–0.58) in a context of intense labor-related PA. Conclusion: There is a difference by gender in the relationship of HFI with obesity prevalence related perhaps to the energy expenditure of male agricultural migrant workers. © 2019 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

Author Keywords

Food insecurity Obesity Migrant agricultural workers Public health Mexico

Index Keywords

physical activity sex-related difference demography Waist Circumference agricultural worker human obesity diet Mexico migrant worker social status cross-sectional study male household expenditure female Mexican questionnaire Article adult food security body weight data analysis Mexico [North America] malnutrition food insecurity anthropometry disease burden body height public health
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-85074275653&doi=10.3390%2fijerph16214171&partnerID=40&md5=9ef3ad1ace34c1789b70b21ddb088f8f
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph16214171
ISSN: 16617827
Original Language: English