Why are Brazilians unhealthier than ever?

Diabetes and obesity have risen in Brazil. Photo: Commons

Rates of diabetes in Brazil have more than doubled in recent years, according to data from the Ministry of Health. Findings reveal a 61.8 percent increase in the number of Brazilians taking diabetes medicine from 2006 to 2016, but others believe that the number of actual diagnoses could be even higher. According to the Brazilian Society for Diabetes, more than 12 million Brazilians are probably diabetic, and over half haven’t been formally diagnosed.

Type 2 diabetes, which is not a genetic condition and whose effects can often be mediated with regular exercise and a balanced diet, has surged in recent years in Brazil. There are approximately 300,000 new Type 2 diagnoses every year within our borders. Type 2 diabetes has strong links to a range of other health problems, including obesity and heart disease.

In recent years, studies have found that the residents of more impoverished geographical areas are both obese and malnourished, owing to the cheaper prices, addictive properties and shameless pushing of junk food. While Brazil’s South and Southwest areas show higher rates than the rest of the country, it’s worth noting that these are also the areas where poverty has grown in recent years – a factor which could well leave people vulnerable to a range of health conditions.