ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: The presence of food insecurity in households headed by older people is related to social inequalities. The objective of this study was to analyze the prevalence and factors associated with moderate/severe food insecurity in households headed by older people. METHODS: A cross-sectional study based on a nationally representative sample of older adults aged ≥ 60 years was conducted using data from the 2017/2018 Family Budget Survey. In the study, moderate/severe food insecurity was the dependent variable, with food insecurity assessed with the Brazilian Household Food Insecurity Measurement Scale. Prevalence and odds ratio estimates were generated with 99% confidence intervals. Data analysis was performed using STATA software. FINDINGS: A total of 16,314 households headed by older people were identified. Approximately 10.1% of these households were in the moderate/severe range for food insecurity. The majority are female (11.9%)and self-declared indigenous people (25.5%), with a lack of schooling (18.3%) and a per capita income of up to half of one minimum wage (29.6%). The analysis model found that color/race, region, schooling, per capita household income, and social benefits received in the household were statistically significant factors (p value < 0.01). CONCLUSION: Moderate/severe food insecurity in households headed by older people is associated with the pronounced social inequalities present in Brazil, and these findings intensify the need for additional study of the challenges faced by this age group.
Subject(s)
Family Characteristics , Food Supply , Humans , Male , Female , Aged , Cross-Sectional Studies , Brazil/epidemiology , Socioeconomic Factors , Surveys and Questionnaires , Food InsecurityABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To examine the prevalence of disordered eating behaviors among adolescents and adults living in the same household. METHODS: We conducted a population-based cross-sectional study developed with a probabilistic sample of 511 adolescents and 1254 adults living in the metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The frequency of binge eating, purging, and strict dieting or fasting over the previous 6 months was ascertained using a self-report questionnaire. RESULTS: Binge eating (20.0% vs. 8.4%), strict dieting or fasting (18.9% vs. 2.4%), and purging (3.3% vs. 2.2%) were more frequent among adolescents than adults. There was a significant association between frequency of binge eating and strict dieting or fasting in adults and in adolescents living in the same household. CONCLUSION: The presence of disordered eating behaviors in adults may be a risk factor for the development of eating disorders in adolescents living in the same household. Thus, the development and implementation of eating disorder interventions should consider incorporating a family component.
Subject(s)
Bulimia/epidemiology , Feeding Behavior/psychology , Feeding and Eating Disorders/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adolescent Behavior , Adult , Age Distribution , Binge-Eating Disorder/epidemiology , Binge-Eating Disorder/psychology , Brazil/epidemiology , Bulimia/etiology , Bulimia/psychology , Cross-Sectional Studies , Fasting , Feeding and Eating Disorders/etiology , Feeding and Eating Disorders/psychology , Female , Humans , Laxatives/administration & dosage , Male , Population Surveillance , Prevalence , Risk Factors , Socioeconomic Factors , Surveys and Questionnaires , Urban PopulationABSTRACT
We investigated the association between meal consumption and anthropometric measurements in a probabilistic sample of 528 12-18-year-old adolescents assessed in a population-based cross-sectional study developed in the Rio de Janeiro Metropolitan Area, Brazil. A score ranging from zero to nine according to the frequency of meal consumption (breakfast, lunch and dinner) assessed meal patterns which were defined as satisfactory or unsatisfactory. Nutritional status was defined by the sex- and age-specific body mass index cut-offs. Underweight was observed in 5.7% of the adolescents (8.6% boys, 2.5% girls) and overweight in 20.9%. The omission of breakfast was observed in 4.5% of the boys and 12.4% of the girls. Unsatisfactory meal consumption pattern was more frequent among girls (38.7% vs. 29.2%), and among teenagers over 15 years of age (40.0% vs. 25.4%). Boys with unsatisfactory patterns of meal consumption presented higher means of BMI and of waist and hip circumferences than the ones with satisfactory patterns. The higher values of anthropometric measurement observed among adolescents with an unsatisfactory meal pattern indicate that they may be at risk for overweight or obesity.