Paula Laboissière Reporter Agência Brasil

Brasília -  A survey by the Ministry of Health has found that 48.1% of Brazilians are overweight and 15% can be considered obese. Five years ago, 42.7% of the population was overweight and 11.4% obese.

The problem is more acute among men: 52.1% of them are overweight, while only 44.3% of women are.

Deborah Malta, who is in charge of Non-Transmittable Diseases at the ministry says there is real concern as their data shows the number of overweight persons is rising steadily at 1% per year.

According to Jarbas Barbosa, secretary of the Health Institute (“Vigilância”), at this rate Brazil will reach United States levels of obesity within 13 years. “This is a cause of real concern,” says the secretary, adding that the problem is worse among women with little formal education.

Allen Bennett – translator/editor The News in English

Link - Quase metade da população brasileira adulta está acima do peso, mostra estudo