Double Burden of Malnutrition and Inequalities in the Nutritional Status of Adults: A Population-Based Study in Brazil, 2019

Abstract

Objective: To describe the inequalities in the double burden of malnutrition (DBM) in the adult population. Methods: Study carried out with data from the VIGITEL study, conducted in 2019 in all Brazilian capitals. Underweight and excess weight were evaluated on the basis of years of schooling and age. Multi-level analysis was performed including Human Development Index of each capital and individual-level variables. The inequality slope index was used to assess the magnitude of the inequalities found. All analyses considered the svy command owing to the complexity of the sampling process. Results: 47.119 individuals were studied. Men with no education had 6 percentage points more underweight compared to those with higher education. Higher prevalence of excess weight was found among men with higher education and women with no education. In women, the difference was 18 percentage points between extreme categories. Elderly people with no education had 10 percentage points more excess weight than those with higher education. Conclusions: The findings suggest the need for intersectoral actions that can cope with the social inequalities and help confronting with the DBM in Brazil.