COMPARATIVE REVIEW OF OBESITY IN BRAZIL AND ITALY: EPIDEMIOLOGICAL TRENDS, DETERMINANTS, AND PUBLIC HEALTH IMPLICATIONS

Obesity is today one of the biggest health problems in the world, bringing many medical, social and also economic issues. In this review we look at the situation of obesity in Brazil and Italy, using data from national reports and some international surveys. The comparison of these two countries makes sense because Brazil has a very large population of italian immigrants and their descendants, and also because both countries have universal health systems (SUS in Brazil and SSN in Italy). These common points make it possible to see how distinct social and cultural contexts can change the obesity epidemic. The findings show that overweight and obesity are very frequent in both adults and children. In Brazil the numbers are rising fast, while in Italy they look more stable in recent years. Social inequalities, changes in food habits, and low levels of physical activity are important factors in both cases. At the end, the review points to similarities and differences that can help build better health policies in the future.