The prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased by more than 50% in the last 30 years in all regions of Brazil, according to data from the l...

The prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased by more than 50% in the last 30 years in all regions of Brazil, according to data from the last censuses of the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE) (BRASIL, 2011). Interventions aimed at preventing obesity should be part of the public health policy, which is why exercise prescribing professionals should be prepared to meet the needs of this group. Overweight and obesity are related concepts, but they denote different conditions. The excess of body fat is due to a positive caloric balance that occurs due to the combination of excessive caloric intake with insufficient daily energy expenditure. The World Health Organization (WHO) defines obesity as a condition in which excess accumulated fat can negatively affect health, increasing the risk of diseases (WHO, 2000). In general, the presence of overweight and obesity is determined based on the body mass index (BMI), which relates body mass to height (kg/m2). The prevalence of obesity is determined by multifactorial origins, being determined by genetic, endocrine, metabolic, and environmental factors.

The prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased by more than 50% in the last 30 years in all regions of Brazil.
Interventions aimed at preventing obesity should be part of the public health policy.
Overweight and obesity are related concepts, but they denote different conditions.
The excess of body fat is due to a positive caloric balance that occurs due to the combination of excessive caloric intake with insufficient daily energy expenditure.
The World Health Organization (WHO) defines obesity as a condition in which excess accumulated fat can negatively affect health, increasing the risk of diseases (WHO, 2000).
In general, the presence of overweight and obesity is determined based on the body mass index (BMI), which relates body mass to height (kg/m2).
The prevalence of obesity is determined by multifactorial origins, being determined by genetic, endocrine, metabolic, and environmental factors.