Mapping obesity in women and chronic malnutrition in children across the municipalities of Bolivia: Spatial clusters and regionalization

This paper investigates the spatial distribution of two nutritional variables: obesity prevalence in women and chronic malnutrition prevalence in children across 339 municipalities in Bolivia in 2016. Using data from the Municipal Atlas of the Sustainable Development Goals Bolivia 2020, the study employs spatial analysis methods such as geographic distribution, spatial dependence, and regionalization to comprehend the role of space in nutritional challenges. The findings reveal strong spatial dependence for both obesity prevalence in women and chronic malnutrition prevalence in children in Bolivia. Specifically, high rates of obesity in women are observed in eastern municipalities and their neighboring areas, while a concentrated cluster of chronic malnutrition in children is identified in the western regions. Considering these differences, this investigation argues that, using cluster analysis, Bolivia can be regionalized into eighteen geographical zones based on the distribution of these two nutritional variables. Limitations and future research avenues are discussed.