Multimorbidity of chronic noncommunicable diseases: Data from the Brazilian National Health Survey

Abstract

Objective: To estimate the prevalence of simultaneity of obesity, hypertension and/or diabetes and the association with sociodemographic and lifestyle-related behavior variables. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study with data from the 2013 National Health Survey. The presence of two/three diseases (obesity, hypertension, and diabetes) was considered multimorbidity of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs). Proportional odds logistic regression model, stratified by sex, was used to assess the sociodemographic and lifestyle factors associated with multimorbidity of NCDs, considering the sample complexity and sample weights. Results: The prevalence of multimorbidity of NCDs was 9.6%. The odds of multimorbidity are higher with increasing age, among blacks, but lower in the north region when compared with other regions of the country for both sexes. The odds of multimorbidity of NDCs increased among women who had lower levels of education and spent more time TV watching, and among men who lived with a partner and did not practice the recommended leisure-time physical activity. Conclusion: Sociodemographic factors and lifestyle-related behaviors were associated with the presence of obesity, hypertension, and/or diabetes.