R. Sichieri et al., HIGH TEMPORAL, GEOGRAPHIC, AND INCOME VARIATION IN BODY-MASS INDEX AMONG ADULTS IN BRAZIL, American journal of public health, 84(5), 1994, pp. 793-798
Objectives, Population-based data on body mass index for developing co
untries are scarce. Body mass index data from two Brazilian surveys we
re examined to determine regional and temporal variations in the preva
lences of underweight, overweight, and obesity. Methods. Nationwide su
rveys in 1974/75 and 1989 collected anthropometric data in Brazil from
55 000 and 14 455 households, respectively. Trained interviewers used
the same methods to measure weight and stature in both surveys, and s
urvey designs were identical. Prevalences of underweight, overweight,
and obesity were determined for persons 18 years of age and older. Res
ults. In the 1989 survey, body mass index varied greatly according to
region of the country, urbanization, and income. Tn the wealthier Sout
h, the prevalence of overweight/ obesity was the highest and the preva
lence of underweight was the lowest; in the poorer rural Northeast, th
ese patterns were reversed. For both surveys, overweight/obesity was m
ore common among women than among men and peaked at age 45 to 64 years
in both sexes. Over the 15 years between surveys, the prevalence of b
oth overweight and obesity increased strikingly. Conclusions. In contr
ast to findings in developed countries, obesity in Brazil was positive
ly associated with income and was much more prevalent among women than
among men. For Brazilian women, the overall prevalence of overweight
was nearly as high as that among women in the United States.