Obesity among 18- to 24-year-olds rose 90% in one year

In 2022, 9% of young Brazilians aged between 18 and 24 had a body mass index (BMI) equal to or greater than 30, which configures obesity. In 2023, this percentage jumped to 17.1% – an increase of 90%. The data are part of the Telephone Survey of Risk Factors for Chronic Noncommunicable Diseases in Times of Pandemic (Covitel), developed by the Federal University of Pelotas (UFPel) in partnership with the global public health organization Vital Strategies. The numbers show that, in this same age group, 31.6% of young people have already received a medical diagnosis of anxiety and 32.6% report an episode of alcohol abuse (four doses or more for young women and five doses or more for young people in the same occasion) in the 30 days before the interview. The group is also the one that least consumes fruits and vegetables on a regular basis – only 33.5% and 39.2%, respectively, include these foods in their diet five times or more a week. The consumption of soft drinks and artificial juices, considered a marker of unhealthy eating, also stands out in this age group – 24.3% of young people reported frequent consumption (five times or more a week). In addition, only 36.9% of them practice the 150 minutes of physical activity per week recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and, at the same time, lead the so-called screen time, with 76.1% using devices such as cell phones, tablets or television for three hours or more a day for leisure. Sleep in the population aged 18 to 24 years, according to the survey, is also compromised, with only 54.2% of them sleeping the amount of hours recommended for their age (seven to nine hours a day, according to the National Sleep Foundation). Lack of sleep can have an impact on some chronic conditions – 8.2% of these young people have already had a medical diagnosis of high blood pressure, while 14.1% of the population in this age group has already received a medical diagnosis of depression. The survey heard 9,000 Brazilians aged 18 or over, from capitals and cities in the interior of the five regions of Brazil, by telephone (landline and cell phone), between January and April 2023.

Agência Brasil