The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and the secular trend of overweight / obesity in adolescents Brazilians of the masculine sex. Methods A Brazilian Army's data bank. Those data were collected among 1980 to 2000, and it consists of 4.031.297 adolescents between 17 and 19 years of age. A cross-sectional study, with five cuts, was performed, and the prevalence of overweight and obesity was quantified. Overweight was considered when the Body Mass Index (BMI) 3 reached between 25 and 29.9 Kg/m² and obesity when the BMI was >30Kg/m²(WHO26). Results:In all the Brazilian states, the overweight prevalence was larger than the one of obesity, in spite of the increment speed to have been higher for obesity. To the prevalece of the beginning to be compared (1980) with the one of the end of the study (2000), it was observed, in Brazil, a reason of prevalência of 2,58 for overweight and of 8,18 for obesity. The prevalece of overweight and obesity shows ascendig curve, with a secular trend. Conclusion: The information obtained in this study points to the necessity of concrete actions to prevent chronic disease in Brazilians young adults.
Overweight; Obesity; Nutritional Transition; Epidemiology; Teen Health
