Prevalence of overweight and obesity in Brazilian children and adolescents: a systematic review

Abstract

It is important to know about overweight and obesity situation of Brazilian children and adolescents. The present study aims to update scientific production, through a systematic review, on the prevalence and factors associated with overweight and obesity in Brazilian children and adolescents. Nine databases were verified, and 1,316 references were examined from 2018 to 2019. The electronic search was conducted by three independent researchers. All review steps followed a strategy based on PRISMA. 40 studies were included in this systematic review. Most studies use the World Health Organization classification criteria. The prevalence of overweight in Brazilian children and adolescents varies from 8.8% to 22.2% (boys: 6.2% to 21%; girls: 6.9% to 27.6%). The prevalence of obesity varied from 3.8% to 24% (boys: 2.4% to 28.9%; girls: 1.6% to 19.4%). It was observed that the socioeconomic factors (sex, skin color, economic level, region, mother's educational level, living in a rented house and without access to the internet), hereditary/genetic (family history of dyslipidemia and overweight and rs9939609 genotype) and behavioral (physical activity, screen time, eating habits, perceived body weight, health vulnerability, presence of a result close to home, alcoholic beverages, cigarette consumption) were associated with the outcome. It is concluded that the prevalence of overweight and obesity among Brazilian children and adolescents are worrisome and most of the factors associated with the outcomes are subject to change from the adoption of a healthy lifestyle.

Results from Brazil’s 2022 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Adolescents

“…In 2018, from a systematic review [ 39 ] with a sample of Brazilian children and adolescents, 61 studies were found, and it was possible to estimate that 11.6% of Brazilian children and adolescents were obese. In the current report, an update of the previous systematic review [ 19 ] was carried out, and this estimate was 11.0%, which demonstrates that this risk factor was not modified in the last two years. Among the obesogenic factors, environmental and individual determinants that were investigated in the systematic review [ 19 ] of this report stood out.…”

“…The protocol for this research was published on the Open Science Framework (OSF) platform ( , accessed on 1 March 2022). To gather the best evidence available in Brazil on each indicator, the following strategies were adopted: Fourteen systematic reviews were conducted [ 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ], covering the following indicators: (1) Overall Physical Activity; (2) Organized Sport and Physical Activity; (3) Active Play; (4) Active Transportation; (5) Sedentary Behaviors; (6) Sleep; (7) Family and Peers; (8) Community and Environment; (9) Physical Fitness; (10) Obesity; (11) Poor Mental Health. In all systematic reviews, only studies with a sample of Brazilian children and adolescents published until December 2019—that is, before the COVID-19 pandemic—were considered eligible.…”

“…The target age for the samples investigated in the systematic reviews of this current report was adolescent children aged 5 to 19 years. All details about the samples can be consulted in previously published articles [ 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ]; For the School indicator, an original study [ 26 ] was conducted with public data from the National Institute for Educational Studies and Research Anísio Teixeira (INEP); For the indicator related to Governmental Strategies and Investments, analyses were based on official information from the Brazilian Federal Government, in which official websites of the different Ministries in Brazil, national surveys of the federal government, and technical reports on the subject were researched. One paper about this indicator has been published [ 27 ].…”

“…The target age for the samples investigated in the systematic reviews of this current report was adolescent children aged 5 to 19 years. All details about the samples can be consulted in previously published articles [ 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 ];…”

“…Furthermore, in all articles, the results are discussed in depth, and improvement strategies for each indicator are presented. The articles were published in peer-reviewed and open access journals [ 12 , 13 , 14 , 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 , 24 , 25 , 26 , 27 ].…”