Study: Childhood Obesity – A Growing Problem in Brazil

The problem of childhood obesity is only increasing worldwide. According to the latest data released by the World Health Organization (WHO), it is estimated that 41 thousand children under the age of 5 are obese or overweight. What could be behind this reality? According to the WHO, the rise in the rate of obese children in the world reflects behavioral changes within societies, such as unhealthy diets and sedentary lifestyles.

To find answers to this issue surrounding childhood obesity, Trocando Fraldas conducted a survey involving 10,000 women from all over Brazil, 3,800 of whom were mothers, between June 12 and 15 through a questionnaire. Participants filled it out voluntarily, indicating their age and place of residence, which made it possible to compare data by region and state.

Questions

The following questions were asked:

Do you usually pay attention to your child's diet?
Is your child's weight within the normal range?
Has your child ever had any health problems due to excess weight?
Does your child have the habit of eating in front of electronic devices (TV, video game, cell phone, etc.)?
When did the introduction of foods other than breast milk begin?
Do you encourage your child to eat fruits, vegetables, and greens daily?
Does your child practice any sports?
Do you encourage your child to play outdoors?
Is your diet healthy (do you eat vegetables, greens, fruit, and avoid fats)?

Results

For comparisons between regions, states, and capitals, answers to affirmative questions were converted to the numbers 1 for 'Yes' and 2 for 'No'. This way, it was possible to obtain averages, which served as the basis for the graphs and rankings below.

Obesity and Parental Attention

78% of Brazilian women pay attention to their child's diet and 90% consider their children to be within the normal weight range
Children with attentive parents are 2.5 times less likely to be overweight than those with inattentive parents
Of the 10% who are overweight, 1 in every 5 children has already experienced a health problem due to obesity
There are differences in how women worry about their child's diet according to age group; young women aged 18 to 29 appeared less concerned, at 75%, and consider only 8% of their children to be overweight
However, 84% of women aged 30 to 39 worry and see 1 in every 7 of their children as being outside the normal weight
There are not major differences between regions, but between states there are, with Acre having only 57% paying attention to their child's diet and already 17% of children overweight, while in Piauí 87% pay attention and only 3% of children are considered overweight
Maranhão, Bahia, and Pará are other states where women are most concerned about their child's health and perceive fewer obese children
1 in every 9 women does not encourage their child to eat fruit, with Amazonas, Mato Grosso, and Paraíba along with Acre standing out negatively with almost 1 in 5

Eating Behavior and Lifestyle

4 out of every 9 women started introducing foods in addition to breast milk before six months of age and are either unable or unwilling to follow WHO guidelines
The timing of food introduction does not appear to influence perceived obesity by parents, that is, the proportion of obese children does not depend on timing
59% of Brazilian women do not encourage their children to engage in any physical activity, and among younger women aged 18 to 24, this percentage rises to 69%
In the South, 44% encourage physical activity, while only 36% do so in the Northeast
The risk of obesity among children who do not receive encouragement to do sports increases by 50%
5 out of 9 children are accustomed to eating in front of some electronic device, most common in the Southeast at 59% and less in the North at only 49%
The likelihood of becoming obese by eating in front of the television increases by 33%
90% of parents regularly encourage their children to play outdoors in all regions of Brazil
Children who do not receive this encouragement to play outdoors more than double their risk of being overweight
23% of mothers consider their own diet to be unhealthy and thereby increase the risk of obesity in their children by 71%

Habit of
Eating in
Front of
Electronic
Devices

Parental Encouragement and Complaints

The vast majority of electronics reach children because they ask and their parents give them (30%) or because parents find it appropriate at that moment (31%)
It is much rarer for a child to receive electronics as a gift from grandparents (15%) or from others (8%)
7 out of 8 mothers and fathers say they encourage their children to play outdoors
This group of encouragers grows to 92% for children older than 2 years
More than half of Brazilian parents have to complain to their children about using electronic devices too much
For those over 2 years old, 3 out of every 5 mothers and fathers complain about excessive use
61% of respondents consider electronics a problem for children overall
This overall assessment is independent of the children's age