Prevalence and determinants of obesity and overweight among reproductive age women living in the semi-arid region of Brazil

The study estimated the prevalence and determinants of overweight and obesity in women of reproductive age in the Semi-Arid Region of Brazil. In the cluster sampling of 8,000 households of the state of Ceara, 6,845 women were surveyed. Overweight and obesity were measured by the body mass index and risk factors identified by multivariate analysis. The prevalences of overweight and obesity were 32.6% and 16.1%, respectively. After adjusted analysis, obesity was positively associated with age >30 years (PR = 1.55), marital status, married (PR = 1.36), elementary education (PR = 1.40), age at menarche <12 years (OR = 1.59), having >1 child (PR = 1.65) and contraceptive use (PR = 1.31). Specific health and nutritional conditions were identified as highly associated to morbid obesity: hypertension (PR = 3.11), diabetes (PR = 2.08), dissatisfaction with body image (PR = 4.26) and procedures for weight loss (PR = 2.73). The study concluded that overweight and obesity are highly prevalent in the Semi-Arid Region of Brazil. Education was the only socioeconomic determinant considered as amenable to change. The reproductive risk factors identified enforce the need to mobilize the services of prenatal and postpartum care and family planning to prevent and control obesity.