Double Burden of Malnutrition and Inequalities in the Nutritional Status of Adults: A Population-Based Study in Brazil, 2019

Abstract

Objective: To describe the inequalities in the double burden of malnutrition (DBM) in the adult population.Methods: Study carried out with data from the VIGITEL study, conducted in 2019 in all Brazilian capitals. Underweight and excess weight were evaluated on the basis of years of schooling and age. Multi-level analysis was performed including Human Development Index of each capital and individual-level variables. The inequality slope index was used to assess the magnitude of the inequalities found. All analyses considered the svy command owing to the complexity of the sampling process.Results: 47.119 individuals were studied. Men with no education had 6 percentage points more underweight compared to those with higher education. Higher prevalence of excess weight was found among men with higher education and women with no education. In women, the difference was 18 percentage points between extreme categories. Elderly people with no education had 10 percentage points more excess weight than those with higher education.Conclusions: The findings suggest the need for intersectoral actions that can cope with the social inequalities and help confronting with the DBM in Brazil.

Changes in prevalence of cognitive impairment and associated risk factors 2000–2015 in São Paulo, Brazil

“…Finally, although we have not observed associations between cognitive impairment and diabetes, heart diseases, hypertension, or BMI, we detected a higher prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, specifically, overweight/obesity, as well as diabetes and hypertension in recent waves that possibly contributed to a higher cognitive burden. In fact, these results are congruent with changes in the nutrition of Brazilian older adults [63,64]. Specifically, this trend is characterised by increases in the consumption of ultra-processed foods rich in sugar and fat [63].…”

“…In fact, these results are congruent with changes in the nutrition of Brazilian older adults [63,64]. Specifically, this trend is characterised by increases in the consumption of ultra-processed foods rich in sugar and fat [63]. Therefore, this result shows the necessity of public health education and programs regarding the importance of a healthy weight and leading a healthy lifestyle.…”

Sociodemographic inequalities on women's behavioral and health outcomes: a population-based study

“…The explanation for the existing association is that schooling is a proxy for socioeconomic level, that is, lower schooling is associated with lower income and, consequently, less access to health promotion practices, such as healthy eating, physical activity, access to health services and medicines [23][24][25][26] . The ndings that women with lower schooling had a higher prevalence of excess weight and insu cient physical activity are consistent with the study carried out with data from the Surveillance of Risk and Protective Factors for Chronic Diseases (VIGITEL) in 2019, which found results similar those shown here: women with lower schooling had a higher prevalence of excess weight, with a difference of 18 percentage points from women with higher schooling 27 . In a survey with data from the Pró-Saúde Study from 1999-2001 and 2011-2012, the highest rate of abdominal obesity was also found in women with less schooling 28 .…”

Inequalities in the use of health services in a municipality in Southern Brazil in 2019: a cross-sectional study

“…Inequality in receiving nutritional counseling is also a worrisome result, given the current scenario of double burden of malnutrition - coexistence of malnutrition and overweight in the same population - described in low- and middle-income countries, such as Brazil. 26 The double burden of malnutrition has important associations with socioeconomic inequalities in the Brazilian population 26 and nutrition education is one of the intersectoral actions necessary to address it. Nutrition education, through actions, programs and interventions aimed at promoting healthy eating, can favor the change of this nutritional scenario.…”