Direct and indirect associations of experience of racial discrimination, dietary patterns and obesity in adults from southern Brazil.

OBJECTIVE: To analyse the direct and indirect associations of experience of racial discrimination on dietary patterns (DP), obesity and abdominal obesity. DESIGN: This is a cross-sectional population-based study. The main exposure was self-reported experiences of racial discrimination (Experiences of Discrimination scale). The mediator variables were the DP: healthy, Brazilian traditional, sugar and carbohydrates, and fast food. The outcomes were obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) and abdominal obesity (waist circumference ≥ 88 cm for women; ≥ 102 cm for men). Structural equation modelling was applied. SETTING: Porto Alegre, Brazil. PARTICIPANTS: Totally, 400 adults aged between 20 and 70 years were participated. RESULTS: The mean age of participants was 47·2 years (sd = 13·9), and 75 % were women. Experiencing racial discrimination had a positive direct effect on obesity (healthy DP: ß = 0·153, P < 0·05; Brazilian DP: ß = 0·156, P < 0·05; sugar and carbohydrates DP: ß = 0·156, P < 0·05; and fast-food DP: ß = 0·153, P < 0·05) and abdominal obesity (healthy DP: ß = 0·206, P < 0·01; Brazilian DP: ß = 0·210, P < 0·01; sugar and carbohydrates DP: ß = 0·204, P < 0·01; and fast-food DP: ß = 0·204, P < 0·01). The experience of racial discrimination did not have a direct effect on DP, nor did it exert an indirect effect on obesity and abdominal obesity through any DP. CONCLUSIONS: A higher experience of racial discrimination is associated with obesity and abdominal obesity, independent of diet.

Social environment perception and associations with overweight in the city of Porto Alegre, Brazil.

The prevalence of overweight in Brazilian adults has grown in recent years. There is evidence indicating that environmental factors, especially social characteristics, may be involved in the aetiology of overweight, but few studies have investigated this association adequately. The main objective of this study was to identify residents' perception of their social environment (social cohesion, security and violence) and assess its relationship with overweight in a central area of Porto Alegre, Brazil. The associations between socioeconomic characteristics and social environment perception were also explored. This cross-sectional study conducted in 2018-19 had 400 participants aged from 20 to 70 years living in low- and high-income areas of the city of Porto Alegre. Participants' perception of social cohesion, security and violence were evaluated using a validated questionnaire. Participants' body mass index (BMI) was measured, and those with a BMI ≥25 kg/m2 were considered to be overweight. Unadjusted and adjusted prevalence ratios (PRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were estimated through Poisson regression analysis; level of significance was 5%. The prevalence of overweight in the sample was 68.8% (95% CI 64.0-73.2). Individuals with a more positive social cohesion perception had a higher prevalence of overweight (PR 1.06; 95% CI: 1.00-1.12; p=0.02) than those with a less positive perception. Brown individuals also had a higher prevalence of overweight (PR: 1.08; 95% CI: 1.02-1.15; p=0.03) than those of other skin colour/race. No association was found between overweight and perception of security or violence. Therefore, social cohesion may be an important factor in overweight and the findings highlight the importance of considering social factors, and their perceptions, when planning actions for the prevention and control of overweight in a population.

Perceived racial discrimination and eating habits: a systematic review and conceptual models.

CONTEXT: There is no systematic review on the relationship between racial discrimination and eating habits. OBJECTIVE: A systematic review was conducted to synthesize evidence on the association between perceived racial discrimination (PRD) and eating habits. A conceptual model was developed to depict the most common mechanisms used to explain this association. DATA SOURCES: Articles were retrieved from the PubMed, Embase, LILACS, and PsycINFO databases from inception to January 2021. STUDY SELECTION: Only observational studies were included, and there were no restrictions on age, racial group, or country. Two reviewers selected the articles independently. DATA EXTRACTION: Data were extracted independently by 2 reviewers. The assessment of methodological quality was conducted using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. RESULTS: All studies retrieved were conducted among the US population. Nineteen studies were included. On average, the studies showed a methodological quality of 66%. Forty-six associations were evaluated: 38 between PRD and negative eating habits, 29 between PRD and eating behavior, and 17 between PRD and food consumption. CONCLUSIONS: PRD negatively affects eating habits. A conceptual framework based on ecosocial theory is suggested as a guide for future research. Further studies in different countries (beyond the United States) should be conducted to understand how racial discrimination affects eating habits within different ethnic, cultural, social, and economic contexts. SYSTEMATIC REVIEW REGISTRATION: PROSPERO registration no. CRD42019142605.

Relationship between temperature and relative humidity on initial spread of COVID-19 cases and related deaths in Brazil.

INTRODUCTION: Climate conditions may influence the transmission of COVID-19. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of temperature and relative humidity on COVID-19 cases and related deaths during the initial phase of the epidemic in Brazil. METHODOLOGY: An ecological study based on secondary data was conducted. Daily data on new COVID-19 cases, deaths, and climate indicators were collected from February 20 to April 18, 2020 (n = 59 days) for all state capital cities in Brazil and the Federal District (Brasília). The climate indicators included mean temperature, temperature amplitude, mean relative humidity, relative humidity amplitude, and percentage of days with mean relative humidity ≤ 65 %. Correlation and multiple linear regression analyses were performed for all cities and stratified by quintiles of the COVID-19 incidence rate. RESULTS: The mean daily temperature was positively correlated with the number of days until the first COVID-19 case was reported. A lower mean relative humidity was correlated with a lower number of cases and deaths in Brazil, especially when the relative humidity was ≤ 65 %. Higher temperatures and humidity amplitudes were correlated with lower COVID-19 mortality. Additionally, after controlling for humidity, cumulative cases of COVID-19 were inversely associated with temperature in cities with mean temperatures less than 25.8 °C. CONCLUSIONS: Variations in temperature and humidity across the Brazilian territory may have influenced the spread of the novel coronavirus during the initial phase of the epidemic.

Iniquidades sociais no consumo alimentar no Brasil: uma revisão crítica dos inquéritos nacionais / Social inequities in food consumption in Brazil: a critical review of the national surveys

Resumo O objetivo deste artigo é investigar a associação entre posição socioeconômica e o consumo alimentar entre os brasileiros para poder compreender como os grandes inquéritos nacionais estão contribuindo na identificação de desigualdades sociais e ecológicas neste último. Revisão sistemática da literatura de publicações que analisaram a relação entre posição socioeconômica e consumo alimentar nos grandes inquéritos nacionais. A definição de posição socioeconômica, seleção das suas variáveis indicadoras e a análise crítica de sua operacionalização basearam-se na epidemiologia ecossocial. Indivíduos em menor posição socioeconômica - cor da pele/raça parda ou negra, menor escolaridade e renda e de áreas rurais - têm menor probabilidade de consumir uma alimentação diversificada e saudável. Já os efeitos do gênero e da situação conjugal só poderiam ser melhor compreendidos com um recorte social. As variáveis de posição socioeconômica formam uma complexa teia de causalidade que ajuda a explicar a determinação do consumo alimentar dos brasileiros e a denunciar as iniquidades sociais na alimentação e nutrição. Há a necessidade de maior clareza conceitual a respeito da medição dos parâmetros para alcançar maior precisão sobre as causas das desigualdades sociais em alimentação.

[Social inequities in food consumption in Brazil: a critical review of the national surveys]. / Iniquidades sociais no consumo alimentar no Brasil: uma revisão crítica dos inquéritos nacionais.

O objetivo deste artigo é investigar a associação entre posição socioeconômica e o consumo alimentar entre os brasileiros para poder compreender como os grandes inquéritos nacionais estão contribuindo na identificação de desigualdades sociais e ecológicas neste último. Revisão sistemática da literatura de publicações que analisaram a relação entre posição socioeconômica e consumo alimentar nos grandes inquéritos nacionais. A definição de posição socioeconômica, seleção das suas variáveis indicadoras e a análise crítica de sua operacionalização basearam-se na epidemiologia ecossocial. Indivíduos em menor posição socioeconômica - cor da pele/raça parda ou negra, menor escolaridade e renda e de áreas rurais - têm menor probabilidade de consumir uma alimentação diversificada e saudável. Já os efeitos do gênero e da situação conjugal só poderiam ser melhor compreendidos com um recorte social. As variáveis de posição socioeconômica formam uma complexa teia de causalidade que ajuda a explicar a determinação do consumo alimentar dos brasileiros e a denunciar as iniquidades sociais na alimentação e nutrição. Há a necessidade de maior clareza conceitual a respeito da medição dos parâmetros para alcançar maior precisão sobre as causas das desigualdades sociais em alimentação.