Obesity is growing at an alarming rate in Latin America. Lifestyle behaviours such as physical activity and dietary intake have been largely associated with obesity in many countries; however studies that combine nutrition and physical activity assessment in representative samples of Latin American countries are lacking. The Latin American Study of Nutrition and Health/Estudio Latinoamericano de Nutrición y Salud (ELANS) 

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It is a multicenter cross-sectional nutrition and health surveillance study of a nationally representative sample of urban populations from eight Latin American countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Peru and Venezuela). The study aims to (1) provide up-to-date reliable and comparable data of dietary intake, physical activity, and its association with anthropometric profile among representative urban populations of eight Latin American countries; (2) measure variation in overweight, dietary intake and physical activity by region, cultural background, socioeconomic status, age and gender; (3) add new scientific-based evidence to describe the interplay among energy intake, energy expenditure, and anthropometric measurements. Our overarching hypothesis is that the relationships between dietary and physical activity profiles will differ across countries and across different environmental settings. 

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A standard study protocol was designed to evaluate the nutritional intakes, physical activity levels, and anthropometric measurements of more than 9000 enrolled participants. The study was based on a complex, multistage sample design and the sample was stratified by gender, age (15 to 65 years old) and socioeconomic level. A small-scale pilot study was performed in each country to test the procedures and tools.

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This study provides valuable information and a unique dataset regarding Latin America that will enable cross-country comparisons of nutritional statuses that focus on energy and macro- and micronutrient intakes, food patterns, and energy expenditure.