Being overweight serves as a risk factor for diabetes and other chronic diseases, and risk further increases when combined with other behaviors such as lack of physical exercise, tobacco use, and frequent alcohol consumption. Additionally, of the six leading causes of death in Puerto Rico, five of them can be attributed to dietary habits and lifestyle. In 2014, 69.9% of men and 62.7% of women were considered to be overweight or obese. Transitioning to the health of the population, the students highlighted that obesity is a leading cause of death in Puerto Rico. These meals are strongly tied to Puerto Rican identity, holidays, and cultural celebrations. Traditional cuisine includes fried street food such as fritters (frequently enjoyed at the beach with pinacooladas), rice and beans, and mofongo. Puerto Rican cuisine is greatly influenced by African culture and native Taino indians. Graduate nutrition students presented on the social, cultural and political influences on the Puerto Rican food system. The system operated this way until 1994 when it switched to managed care, which the Dean stated, “we are still trying to recover from.” These multi-disciplinary centers provided numerous clinical services–such as primary care, nutrition, and health education– to the surrounding community regardless of ability to pay. Previously, Puerto Rico operated a pyramid system with over 80 regional Diagnostic and Treatment Centers across the island. The Dean of the School of Public Health welcomed us and provided a brief overview of the Puerto Rican health system which contextualized the presentations we would hear from professors and students. Today we visited the University of Puerto Rico Graduate Medical Sciences campus to hear from several key speakers as well as engage in discussion with graduate nutrition students.
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