El Ramadan eterno

El Ramadán perpetuo
Por el Finquero Sosa
http://www.lafincadesosa.blogspot.com/

Hoy es uno de esos días en que no basta escribir. Y en que el silencio no sosiega.Todo el mundo lo está comentando, los sitios noticiosos, los blogs, los chats. Los espacios para dejar opiniones se han sobresaturado de gente que todavía no cree haber terminado de desahogarse.Y es que un estudio reciente publicado por el American Journal of Epidemiology ha concluído que el Período Especial ha resultado beneficioso para la salud de los cubanos. Su título es Impact of Energy Intake, Physical Activity, and Population-wide Weight Loss on Cardiovascular Disease and Diabetes Mortality in Cuba, 1980–2005. Sus autores son:-Manuel Franco (John Hopkins University, Baltimore)-Pedro Orduñez (Hospital Universitario “Doctor Gustavo Aldereguía Lima”, Cienfuegos)-Benjamín Caballero (John Hopkins University, Baltimore)-José A. Tapia Granados (University of Michigan, Ann Harbor)-Mariana Lazo (John Hopkins University, Baltimore)-José Luis Bernal (Hospital Universitario “Doctor Gustavo Aldereguía Lima”, Cienfuegos)-Eliseo Guallar (John Hopkins University, Baltimore; Centro Nacional de Investigación Cardiovascular, Madrid)-Richard S. Cooper (Loyola University, Maywood)Como no quiero hablar, para no ofender a esta caterva de chupadores de linfa, les dejo el e-mail de Manuel Franco, quien es el cabecilla de este singular estudio.Por favor, déjenle saber lo que piensan, sin muchos remilgos.mfranco@jhsph.eduLo que sigue es un resumen como mismo aparece en la portada del Journal.Cuba's economic crisis of 1989–2000 resulted in reduced energy intake, increased physical activity, and sustained population-wide weight loss. The authors evaluated the possible association of these factors with mortality trends. Data on per capita daily energy intake, physical activity, weight loss, and smoking were systematically retrieved from national and local surveys. National vital statistics from 1980–2005 were used to assess trends in mortality from diabetes, coronary heart disease, stroke, cancer, and all causes. The crisis reduced per capita daily energy intake from 2,899 calories to 1,863 calories. During the crisis period, the proportion of physically active adults increased from 30% to 67%, and a 1.5-unit shift in the body mass index distribution was observed, along with a change in the distribution of body mass index categories. The prevalence of obesity declined from 14% to 7%, the prevalence of overweight increased 1%, and the prevalence of normal weight increased 4%. During 1997–2002, there were declines in deaths attributed to diabetes (51%), coronary heart disease (35%), stroke (20%), and all causes (18%). An outbreak of neuropathy and a modest increase in the all-cause death rate among the elderly were also observed. These results suggest that population-wide measures designed to reduce energy stores, without affecting nutritional sufficiency, may lead to declines in diabetes and cardiovascular disease prevalence and mortality.