Abstract
Objective: In Brazil, demographic, socioeconomic and epidemiological changes over time have led to a transition in nutritional standards, resulting in a gradual reduction of malnutrition and an increased prevalence of overweight and obese individuals, similar to the situation in developed countries in previous decades. This study assessed the body mass index (BMI) and the prevalence of an overweight status and obesity, adjusted for various factors, in a population in northeastern Brazil including all age groups. Methods: This is a cross-sectional population-based epidemiological study using single sampling procedure composed of levels. Given the heterogeneity of the variable “income” and the relationship between income, prevalence of diseases and nutrition, a stratified sampling on blocks in the first level was used. In this, city districts were classified by income into 10 strata, according to information obtained from IBGE. A systematic sampling was applied on randomly selected blocks in order to choose the residences that would be part of the sample (second level), including 1165 participants from all age groups. Results and Discussion: The prevalence of an overweight status or obesity was adjusted for demographic, socioeconomic and lifestyle variables. When the Chi-square test was applied, a relationship was observed between the prevalence of an overweight status or obesity and the age group, gender, educational level and income of the participants. Regarding lifestyle parameters, only smoking was associated with the prevalence of an overweight status or obesity, in both adults and in the total sample. The results for the following groups were significant (p < 0.05): the age group from 20 to 59 years, when the individual presented an educational level greater than or equal to high school; and the age group ≥ 60 years, when the individual was female. It is noteworthy that educational level and being female were significant in adjusting for the total population as major factors influencing an increased BMI, followed by the variables physical activity and family income. Conclusions: The adjusted results justify the adoption of intervention and prevention policies to combat these clinical conditions for the study population as a whole, particularly directed toward adults with higher education level as well as elderly females.
Highlights
Expansion of the prevalence of an overweight status and obesity is occurring in all age groups and all social strata [1], and 2.8 million people die worldwide every year due to these clinical conditions [2].In Brazil, demographic, socioeconomic and epidemiological changes over time have led to a transition in nutritional standards, resulting in a gradual reduction of malnutrition and increased prevalence of an overweight status and obesity
To explain the body mass index (BMI) values of individuals related to the variables, multiple linear regression was applied for each age group and the total sample: BMI = β0 + β1 school + β2 income + β3 sex + β4 physical activity
The prevalence of an overweight status and obesity in the sample distributed according to sex, age group and socioeconomic status is presented for the total sample and distributed by age group in Table 2 as well as in relation to lifestyle parameters including smoking, physical activity and alcohol consumption in the total sample
Summary
Expansion of the prevalence of an overweight status and obesity is occurring in all age groups and all social strata [1], and 2.8 million people die worldwide every year due to these clinical conditions [2]. In Brazil, demographic, socioeconomic and epidemiological changes over time have led to a transition in nutritional standards, resulting in a gradual reduction of malnutrition and increased prevalence of an overweight status and obesity. This situation is similar to that in observed developed countries in previous decades [3]. There is no study in the literature associating BMI, an overweight status and obesity adjusted for socioeconomic, demographic and lifestyle factors in all age groups in the same population, allowing a deeper analysis of the influence of these factors on nutritional status. The present study aimed to evaluate the distribution of an overweight status, obesity and the BMI adjusted for socioeconomic, demographic and lifestyle factors in all age groups in the same population, which could contribute to better-targeted intervention strategies to combat these types of morbidity in populations with characteristics similar to those of the present study
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