Hermeneutical Analysis of the Determinants of Obesity using Neutrosophic Cognitive Maps

Abstract

Obesity is a chronic, non-contagious disease to which attention has been paid worldwide at all times, but current studies
are focused on childhood and adolescent obesity after the Covid-19 pandemic. The reason lies in the fact that the younger the
child, the greater the risk of developing complications during his life. That is why it is established as a problem to be analyzed
from various points of view. Consequently, this study aims to develop a causal analysis of the determinants of childhood and
adolescent obesity in post-COVID-19 Ecuador using Neutrosophic Cognitive Maps from a hermeneutical point of view. The
authors consider as an idea to defend that by analyzing the determining factors of childhood and adolescent obesity after the
influence of Covid-19, it will be possible to strengthen the coordination and articulation mechanisms of the State, which allow
the development of strategic actions to prevent overweight and obesity in the population. To achieve this, a referential framework
for child-adolescent obesity was established, a working procedure was elaborated combining the hermeneutical method with
neutrosophic cognitive maps for the causal analysis, and conclusions were issued where strategies were established according to
the observed patterns and world trends in the face of the phenomenon that allow the development of strategic actions to prevent
overweight and obesity.