Genesis of a syndemic, obesity in Mexicans and COVID-19

Abstract

In Mexico mortality and morbidity have gone through significant changes regarding the epidemiological behavior of diseases since early twentieth century. It should be noted that according to existing epidemiological information the reasons why the Mexican population get sick the most are not the same that cause death. Overweight and obesity both have become an epidemic for ten years, which has caused a direct and indirect cost of 67,345 million Mexican pesos, an amount that, evidently, will increase over time. Recently, this epidemic has been related to a virus that was initially called 2019-nCoV, but was later named SARS-CoV2. The disease caused by this virus is endangering people's lives worldwide and specifically in our country, which shows the close interaction between infectious diseases and chronic non-communicable diseases. In this scenario, the government has tried to implement certain prevention measures. However, the government ignores that it is facing a syndemic, since there is the joint presence of a new event that would be COVID-19, but, in turn, obesity is a problem that has been around in Mexico for years. There is no doubt they are sharing the same geographic space and time, as well as social causes.