Shifting obesity trends in Brazil

Objective: To describe secular trends in obesity in various settings and so cio-economic groups of the adult population of Brazil. Methods: Trend analysis of the prevalence of obesity in adults aged over 20 y (body mass index greater than or equal to 30.0 kg/m(2)) applied to anthr opometric and socio-economic data collected by three comparable household s urveys undertaken in the two most populated Brazilian regions in 1975 (n = 95,062), 1989 (n = 15,585) and 1997 (n = 10,680). Results: While previous trends (1975-1989) showed increasing obesity preval ence for all population groups except for men in rural areas, recent trends (1989-1997) have pointed to a much more complex picture where increases in obesity tend to be more intense in men than in women, in rural than in urb an settings and in poorer than in richer families. Particularly notable was the fact that, in the recent period, obesity was actually reduced for wome n belonging to the upper income groups, especially in urban settings. Conclusion: Earlier obesity trends in Brazil entirely agree with what has b een described for both developed and developing countries where reliable se cular trend information exists, but the 1989-1997 trend of a substantial re duction in the prevalence of obesity among upper income urban women (12.8-9 .2%, or a 28% reduction), is unique in a developing country and, indeed, up to now has only been detected in Scandinavian populations. It is speculate d that this declining obesity trend may be a result of an intense mass medi a work focused on combating a sedentary life style and promoting better foo d habits.