Dr. Orville M. Disdier, Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics, was the keynote speaker at the Ana G. Méndez University Research Meeting.

Dr. Disdier presented the Economic and Social Panorama of Puerto Rico, framed in inequality. During the presentation, the accelerated aging of the population, poverty and the geographical disparities faced by Puerto Rico were explored in depth.

The presentation also highlighted the enormous influence that education has in reducing inequality gaps.

Access a copy of the presentation: Inequality in Puerto Rico - Contemporary Economic and Social Overview

The Institute participated in the public hearing on “Protecting, Managing and Preserving Digital Evidence in Criminal Cases”.

From the Institute's perspective, the regulation of digital evidence in criminal proceedings must explicitly incorporate a statistical and data governance approach that strengthens the quality, integrity, traceability and availability of the information that underpins judicial and public policy decision-making.

The Institute recognizes the relevance of the proposed issues and supports the development of a legal framework that, in addition to establishing substantive obligations, enables the generation of indicators, standardized administrative records and interoperable systems to monitor the performance of the criminal justice system in terms of digital evidence, while respecting the principles of confidentiality, protection of personal data and fundamental rights.

Access the explanatory memorial: https://www.estadisticas.pr.gov/blogposts/memorial-explicativo-para-la-vista-publica-proteccion-manejo-y-conservacion-de-evidencia-digital-en-casos-penales

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, Division of Population Health. BRFSS Prevalance and Trends Data [online]. 2025. [accessed Wed, 04 Mar 2026 17:40:15 GMT].

URL: https://www.cdc.gov/brfss/brfssprevalence.

Graphic: Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics.

Note: Adults 18 years of age or older.

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Today, March 4th, World Obesity Day, is an opportunity to reflect on a public health challenge that continues to grow in many parts of the world, including Puerto Rico.

According to data from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS), the prevalence of obesity in Puerto Rico shows an upward trend over the last decade among adults aged 18 and over, going from 26.3% in 2011 to 36.2% in 2024.

The Puerto Rico Institute of Statistics promotes access to information that allows us to better understand the challenges we face as a society and to support informed decision-making.

On World Obesity Day, we're sharing this graphic to promote informed conversation and analysis of available data.

Learn more about this day at: https://www.worldobesityday.org

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