Excess weight and associated factors among adults in a rural community in the South-mato-grossssense Pantanal

Excess weight in South-mato-grossense Pantanal community

Abstract

OBJECTIVES: To describe the prevalence of excess weight among adults treated at the outpatient clinic of the Base de Estudos do Pantanal in a rural community in the Pantanal region, and to identify the associated factors. METHODS: A cross-sectional study, carried out with patients treated at the outpatient clinic of the Pantanal Study Base of the Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, located in the rural area of Corumbá, Mato Grosso do Sul. Sociodemographic, anthropometric, clinical and food consumption variables were collected. Excess weight (body mass index ≥25 kg/m²) was considered as an outcome, and analyzes were performed using Poisson regression. RESULTS: Seventy patients participated in the study, with a mean age of 38.6±13.1 years, 57.9% had formally studied for up to 8 years and 57.1% were female. The prevalence of overweight was 79.7%, being higher in females (p=0.03). Obesity reached 55.1% of those evaluated. Individuals with high waist circumference presented a prevalence of overweight 4.56 times higher when compared to those with waist circumference within normal standards (97.7% versus 21.4%; p<0.01). Excess weight was higher among individuals who had weight loss as the reason for nutritional care when compared to those who sought care for food reeducation (95.8% versus 66.7%; p=0.02). CONCLUSIONS: The data presented emphasize the importance of effective implementation of public health policies aimed at vulnerable groups, such as rural and forest populations, with a view to reducing present inequalities and promoting improvements in the quality of life.