Religion and Obesity among Adults in Brazil

Ana Paula A. Verona, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG)
Brunah Schall, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG)
Cláudio Santiago Dias Jr, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (UFMG)

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the proportion of overweight and obese people is growing in developing countries, especially in the BRICS countries (Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa). Recent results of researches show that obesity has become an epidemic in Brazil. Using data from the National Research on Social Inequalities (2008), this article examined association between religion and obesity in Brazil. Preliminary results showed a strong association between obesity and membership with mainline Protestant, Pentecostal, and Neopentecostal churches in Brazil, even after adjusting the factors that affect the Body Mass Index (BMI).