Ministry of Health Discusses Measures to Combat Rising Obesity Rates in Brazil

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The Health Ministry aims to tackle the problem of rising obesity in Brazil, especially childhood obesity, with information about healthy eating, more physical activity, and encouragement of informative labeling, said Minister Henrique Mandetta.

The 2018 Telephone Survey of Risk Factors and Protection for Chronic Diseases (VIGITEL), released at the end of July by the Ministry of Health, registered a considerable increase in excess weight among the Brazilian population.

According to the survey, in Brazil, more than half of the population, 55.7 percent, are overweight, which is an increase of 30.8 percent over the 42.6 percent figure in 2006. The increase was higher among age groups between 18 and 24 years of age at 55.7 percent. When verified by sex, men show a rise of 21.7 percent and women 40 percent.

Mandetta stressed that the fight against obesity is a project of the Ministry of Health and one that is considered essential to support medical efforts.

The Food Guide for the Brazilian Population is an important tool to encourage healthy eating. The publication, which is the main guide for more appropriate and healthy food choices by people, is based mainly on the consumption of fresh or minimally processed foods.

The information is also useful for the prevention and control of specific diseases, such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes.

Ana Paula Bortoletto, a researcher at the Brazilian Institute for Consumer Protection (IDEC), said the Guide brings a new, comprehensive, quality, evidence-based perspective, with very easy-to-understand recommendations for consumers to choose real foods, and avoiding the consumption of ultra-processed products.

To encourage adequate and healthy eating, the Brazilian government has pledged to reduce 144,000 tons of cake sugar, cake mixes, dairy products, chocolate products, sweet drinks, and filled biscuits.

The agreement follows the same parameters as the one used to reduce sodium, which was able to remove more than 17,000 tons of sodium from processed foods in four years.