Adult overweight and obesity rates in Brazil 2008-2023

The prevalence of overweight and obesity in Brazil has been consistently increasing in recent years. While in 2008 an estimated 45 percent of the population was considered overweight and 14 percent was considered obese, by 2023, these figures reached over 61 percent and more than 24 percent, respectively.

What is causing a high prevalence of overweight and obesity in Brazil?

There is not one single element causing the high prevalence of overweight and obesity in Brazil, but a range of structural, cultural, demographic, and socioeconomic factors. Examples of these are changes in eating habits due to urbanization, the availability and affordability of certain products that make it more difficult to follow a healthy diet, and the level of nutritional awareness.

The cost of overweight and obesity 

The biggest cost of overweight and obesity in Brazil falls on the population itself, with diseases such as hypertension, cancer, and diabetes increasing in prevalence as rates of these conditions rise. These diseases strongly impact the well-being of the population, and result in additional economic costs for the healthcare system. In Brazil, this economic loss is forecast to surpass 60 billion U.S. dollars by 2030, and nearly 200 billion U.S. dollars by 2060.