Obesity in Brazil up to 19.8% from 2006 to 2018

While a portion of Brazilians have incorporated more fruits and vegetables to their diet and done more exercise, another part of the population is becoming more obese. According to a survey released today (Jul. 24) by the Health Ministry, the country’s obesity rate went from 11.8 percent to 19.8 percent between 2006 and 2018.

The survey heard 52,395 people aged 18 and older, from February to December 2018, across all 26 Brazilian capitals plus the Federal District.

In the view of Health Surveillance Secretary Wanderson Oliveira, despite an improvement in the menu, Brazilians still eat a large number of high-calorie items low on nutritional value. “We also have a higher increase in obesity, because there’s still a lot of consumption of ultra-processed foods, high on fat and sugar.”

Overweight, he argues, is chiefly reported among people aged 55 and 64 and with less education. The study shows that, in the period, there was an increase in obesity in two age groups: 25–35-year-olds and 35–44-year-olds. For these groups, the indicator went up 84.2 percent and 81.1 percent respectively, compared to 67.8 percent in the general population.

Sedentary lifestyle

The state capital with the lowest obesity rate is São Luíz, Maranhão, with 15.7 percent. At the other end is Manaus, Amazonas, with 23 percent of prevalence.

The ministry reported that, last year, a higher obesity rate was observed among women. The percentage stood at 20.7 percent, compared to 18.7 percent among men.

Over half of the Brazilian population (55.7%) is overweight. In 2006, this proportion reached 42.6 percent.

Under this category, young people aged 18 through 24 are predominant, and women show a more significant growth than men.

Changing eating habits is a must for a healthier lifestyle - Marcello Casal Jr./Agência Brasil

Habits broken

The survey also found that Brazilians have adopted healthier habits. The regular consumption of fruits and vegetables, for instance, went from 20 percent to 23.1 percent between 2008 and 2018. A daily five portions of these items are recommended by the World Health Organization.

Based on this, the survey concludes that women have shown better eating habits, as 27.2 percent of them observe the recommended consumption. Among men, this number is 18.4 percent.

Exercise

Another remarkable finding relates to free-time exercising. The percentage surged 25.7 percent comparing 2009 and 2018. The leap was from 30.3 to 38.1 percent.

Dedicating at least 150 minutes a week to exercising is more common among men (45.4%) than among women (31.8%). Adults aged between 35 and 44 showed the most considerable increase in the decade: 40.6 percent.

The global rate for idleness lowered 13.8 percent since 2009—14.2 percent among females, 13 percent mong males.

Obesity

As many leave behind a sedentary lifestyle, a larger number of people take soft drinks and sugared beverages away from their tables. Altogether, consumption of these items sank 53.4 percent among adults in Brazilian capital cities from 2007 to 2018.

In its material distributed to the press, the Health Ministry notes that one of the measures by the government to promote better eating habits is a deal forged with the food industry, committing to reducing the amount of sugar in products.

The deal, signed in 2018, is expected to reach over half of sugared beverages, cookies, cakes, cake mixes, dairy goods, and chocolate milk.

Some 114 thousand tons of sugar are estimated no longer to be used in products by 2022.