Brazilian kids are taller and more obese, study reveals
A recent study found that Brazilian children are taller and more obese. The research was conducted by scientists from the Oswaldo Cruz Foundation’s Center for the Integration of Data and Knowledge for Health, in collaboration with the Federal University of Minas Gerais and University College London.
The results indicate that Brazilian children’s height increased by an average of one centimeter between 2001 and 2014. The prevalence of overweight and obesity also surged considerably—around three percent.
The research was published in The Lancet Regional Health – America and was based on the measurements of more than 5 million Brazilian children. According to the researchers, the results indicate that Brazil, like other countries around the world, is far from achieving the World Health Organization’s goal of halting the rise in the prevalence of obesity by 2030.
According to the researcher leading the investigation, Carolina Vieira, childhood obesity is alarming. The Ministry of Health explains that both overweight and obesity are defined as the excessive accumulation of body fat. Obesity is a risk factor for illnesses such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, and some types of cancer.
“There are studies that indicate that children who live with obesity are more likely to persist with this disease throughout their lives,” Carolina Vieira pointed out.
Results
The study analyzed data from 5,750,214 children aged 3–10, divided into two groups: those born between 2001 and 2007 and those born between 2008 and 2014.
Considering those aged five to 10, the prevalence of overweight increased by 3.2 percent among boys and 2.7 percent among girls. In the case of obesity, the prevalence among boys went from 11.1 percent in the first group (born up to 2007) to 13.8 percent in the second (born up to 2014)—which means an increase of 2.7 percent. Among girls, the rate rose from 9.1 to 11.2 percent, up 2.1 percent.
Among 3–4-year-olds, the increase was smaller when comparing the two groups. In overweight, a 0.9 percent rise was seen among boys and a 0.8 percent rise among girls. As for obesity, the prevalence went from four to 4.5 percent among boys and from 3.6 to 3.9 percent among girls—up 0.5 and 0.3 percent respectively.
Height
The study also found an increase in the average height of the group born between 2008 and 2014 of approximately one centimeter for both sexes. According to Carolina Vieira, this growth reflects improvements in living and health conditions.
“Studies show that being taller has been linked to some positive health outcomes, such as a lower likelihood of heart disease and stroke, as well as greater longevity. But the height of the individual, the height of the child, very much reflects economic development, the improvement in living conditions. Higher maternal schooling, more people living in urban areas are some examples of the improvement in these conditions in Brazil in recent years,” she noted.
