A Region in Rapid Transition

A shared pattern across diverse cultures

Latin America and the Caribbean have experienced one of the fastest increases in metabolic disease globally.

Despite cultural and geographic diversity, the region shares a common dietary foundation:

• maize-based systems in Mexico and Central America
• root crops and plantains in the Caribbean
• high-altitude agricultural systems in the Andes
• diverse regional diets across Brazil

These traditional patterns were:

• rich in fiber
• based on whole foods
• structured around meals
• low in added sugar

Across the region, these systems are now being replaced.

Then vs Now

Traditional Patterns

Corn (maize), beans, and legumes
Root crops and plantains
Vegetables and fruits
Home-prepared meals
Structured eating

Modern Food Environment

Sugary beverages
Processed snacks
Refined grains and flour
Fast food and convenience meals
Frequent eating

The shift is rapid, widespread, and ongoing.

Regional variation within a shared transition

Mexico and Central America

Strong maize-based dietary systems
High sugary beverage consumption
Rapid transition under economic and trade pressures

Caribbean

Historical exposure to sugar production
High reliance on imported foods
Among the highest sugary beverage intake globally

Andes

Traditionally stable agricultural systems
Gradual but accelerating dietary change

Brazil

Highly diverse food systems
Urban and processed food expansion

Urban Latin America

Shift from structured meals to continuous intake
Frequent snacking and liquid calories

Despite differences, these regions are converging toward similar dietary patterns.

The role of sugary beverages

One of the most consistent features across the region is:

👉 high consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages

These drinks are:

• widely available
• inexpensive
• heavily marketed
• consumed multiple times per day

They introduce:

• rapid sugar absorption
• high fructose exposure
• minimal satiety

Liquid sugar becomes a continuous metabolic input.

The core metabolic pathway

Across the region, different diets lead to the same internal process:

• fructose enters via intestinal transport (GLUT5)
• processed in the liver via ketohexokinase
• drives de novo lipogenesis
• increases triglycerides
• promotes liver fat

This leads to:

• insulin resistance
• fatty liver
• metabolic dysfunction–associated steatotic liver disease

👉 See: Metabolic Biochemistry

A behavioral shift: meals to continuous intake

Traditional diets were structured around meals.

Modern patterns include:

• frequent snacking
• sugary drinks between meals
• constant caloric intake

This shift increases:

• total energy intake
• frequency of metabolic exposure
• strain on regulatory systems

Disease pattern

The region is experiencing:

• rising Type 2 diabetes
• increasing obesity
• metabolic syndrome
• fatty liver disease
• cardiovascular disease

These conditions are:

• widespread
• appearing at younger ages
• affecting both urban and rural populations

Why this region matters

Latin America and the Caribbean provide one of the clearest global examples of:

• rapid dietary transition
• sugar-sweetened beverage dominance
• large-scale metabolic consequences

The pattern is consistent across countries, even where traditional diets differ.

A region in convergence

Different food cultures are now producing similar outcomes.

Maize-based diets, root-based diets, and mixed agricultural systems are all shifting toward:

• refined carbohydrates
• processed foods
• sugary beverages

👉 leading to the same metabolic pathways and disease patterns

Intervention opportunity

Important strengths remain:

• strong cultural identity around food
• familiarity with traditional diets
• continued use of maize, legumes, and root crops

Practical strategies include:

• restoring traditional food patterns
• reducing sugary beverage consumption
• limiting refined flour products
• reinforcing structured meals

Bottom line

Latin America and the Caribbean illustrate the global metabolic transition in real time.

Traditional diets are being replaced by modern food systems characterized by:

• refined carbohydrates
• high sugar intake
• frequent consumption

The result is a rapid rise in metabolic disease driven by a shared underlying process.

Explore Full Atlas of the Global Metabolic Crisis