Obesity in Brazil increases by 68% and more than half of the population is overweight

Sao Paulo, July 25 (EFE) .- In Brazil, a country of 209.3 million inhabitants, the number of overweight people in 2018 accounted for 55.7% of the population, while the number of obese people increased by 67.8%, in contrast to improved eating habits and increased exercise.

Data released Thursday by the Brazilian Ministry of Health show that, compared with 2006, obesity increased by 67.8%, reaching 19.8%, while the increase in overweight has 30.8%

In this sense, growth in obesity was greater in the 25-34 and 35-44 age ranges, with 84.2% and 81.1%, respectively.

Although overweight is more common among men, it is women who have the highest number of cases of obesity, with 20.7% versus 18.7%.

André Sakai, 30, systems badyst, is one example. He admits to being overweight and does not care about his eating habits or sedentary lifestyle.

"There are days when I like to eat a lot of shit, others something healthier.Some days, I have so much work that I do not even remember dinner", he told Efe.

Although she often works at home and frequently eats rice, beans, vegetables and Japanese salads prepared by her mother, high-fat and high-calorie foods such as chicharrones and hamburgers are not lacking. not in his diet.

"I eat what I love, I do not worry so much.Our physical appearance reveals that I am a little overweight, but since I went through a medical exam at the beginning of the year. year and the results were normal, I'm not worried, "he said. the risks of developing diseases, such as diabetes.

Just like Sakai, financial badyst Larisa Melo, 23, does not worry about food either and guarantees that since she left her parents' house, she has gained "a few pounds "because of poor eating habits and" lack of activity ". "physical", which can be summed up as a dance four days a week and sporadic bike rides.

"I do not recommend my habits because I do not eat well, I have an almost childish diet, I love fast foods," he told Efe.

"I'm thinking more about the present, I'm having stomach problems, but I'm eating a lot of shit, I should not, but that's what I like." I'm still not worried for the future. "

On the other hand, according to the survey, regular consumption of fruits and vegetables increased by 15.5% between 2008 and 2018 and increased from 20% to 23.1%.

The practice of physical activity on free time (at least 150 minutes per week) also increased by 25.7% between 2009 and 2018, reaching 38.1% of the population.

The reduction in the number of diagnoses of diabetes, which had dropped by 40% in 2018 compared to 2016, is an example.

"There is a sharp increase in obesity due to the high consumption of ultra-processed foods, with a lot of fat and sugars. So, the incentive to consume vegetables between Children and adults are fundamental, there is a change of behavior and an important paradigm in Brazil "The Secretary of Surveillance of the Ministry of Health, Wanderson Oliveira, said in a statement.

Jorge Pretini, 62, works in a real estate agency and badured Efe that he had abandoned his bad eating habits in 2002, after undergoing surgery because of heart problems caused by high cholesterol levels.

"My diet has changed drastically, I avoid fried foods, fatty foods, alcoholic beverages, everything is always very moderate, especially at home," he said.

With the help of drugs and new habits, Pretini has improved his health and quality of life, but he stressed that everyday work is the reason why most Brazilians adopt bad eating habits and also who does not practice any type of exercise.

According to data from the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) regarding the year 2016, 59.6% of adults in Latin America suffer from obesity or overweight, especially in Mexico , where this percentage reached 64.9%, followed by Venezuela (63.4%), Chile (63.1%), Uruguay (62.9%) and Argentina (62, 7%), while Brazil appears well below the list with 56.5%.

The data presented on Thursday by the Brazilian Ministry of Health is the result of a telephone survey of 52,395 people over 18 in the capitals of the 27 Brazilian states between February and December 2018.

Ana Paula Chain