Reducing the prevalence of obesity in children and adolescents and stopping the growth of the problem in adults are goals of Ministry of Health for the next ten years, provided for in the Action Plan to Combat Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases (DCNTs).
The Plan aims to promote the development and implementation of effective, integrated and sustainable public policies based on evidence for the prevention and control of CNCDs (cancer, diabetes, chronic circulatory and respiratory diseases) and risk factors (smoking, harmful alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, inadequate diet and obesity). The plan also provides for the strengthening of health services aimed at caring for people with chronic diseases.
According to the coordinator of Non-Communicable Diseases and Conditions of the Ministry of Health, Deborah Malta, it is necessary to guide the population on the consequences of obesity and the importance of preventing the early onset of diseases resulting from excess of weight. “The rates are alarming, and we need to stop the advance of obesity among the population”, she warns.
STATISTICS -Brazil treats the issue as a major challenge, since the proportion of overweight adults has progressively increased. Data from Vigitel (2010) indicate a prevalence of 48.1% of adults (52.1% in men and 44.3% in women) with overweight.
In the period 2006-2010, there was an increase in overweight of 1.2 percentage points per year among men, while among women, this increase was 2.2 pp. The frequency of obesity increased, on average, 1 pp per year in women in the period 2006-2010.
Overweight and obesity among youth and children have also been a concern. The assessment of the nutritional status of children aged 5 to 9 years, studied by the POF 2008-2009, showed that overweight and obesity already reached 33.5% and 14.3%, respectively. In the population aged 10 to 19 years, overweight was diagnosed in about 1/5 of adolescents and the prevalence of obesity was 5.9% in boys and 4% in girls.
Levels of leisure-time physical activity in the adult population are low (15%) and only 18.2% consume five servings of fruits and vegetables five or more days a week; 34% consume foods with high fat content and 28% consume soft drinks five or more days a week, which contributes to the increase in the prevalence of overweight and obesity, which affect 48% and 14% of adults, respectively.
FOOD – The low consumption of rice, beans, fruits and vegetables are reflections of a poor diet adopted by the Brazilian population, who currently prefer meals rich in fat, salt and sugar and with a low content nutritious.
The daily consumption of salt in Brazil is currently 12 grams, while that recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) is only 5 grams. Excess salt is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases such as high blood pressure and kidney disease. Another problem in the country is the excessive intake of sugar, which is a great ally for the onset of diabetes and the increase in obesity among Brazilians. According to the POF 2008-2009, 61.3% of the population consumes sugar in an exaggerated way.
Deborah Malta explains that the country is facing a nutritional transition. “Rice and beans have been replaced by processed foods, with excess fat, and unhealthy. Only 18% of Brazilians follow the recommendation to eat 400 grams a day of fruits, vegetables and greens. And to prevent the growth of obesity, the population needs to be aware of the harm that this risk factor brings to health”, she emphasizes.
HIGHLIGHTS - The Ministry of Health prepares, for next year, the Intersectoral Plan for Prevention and Control of Obesity, which aims to promote lifestyles and adequate and healthy food for the population Brazilian. The Intersectorial Plan is an integral part of the 2012/2015 Pluriannual Plan, the Brasil Sem Miséria Plan, the Food and Nutritional Security Plan and the 2011/2022 Chronic Non-Communicable Disease Plan.
The purpose of the Plan is to elect strategies and measures that support healthy lifestyles (Promotion of Adequate and Healthy Eating and Promotion of Physical Activity) in a more operative way for the next four years old.
* Information Portal Health http://portalsaude.saude.gov.br/portalsaude/noticia/2679/162/dia-nacional-alerta-para-risco-da-obesidade.html >
Source: Brazil School - https://brasilescola.uol.com.br/saude-na-escola/dia-nacional-alerta-para-risco-obesidade.htm
