DESIDERATA 2023 ANNUAL REPORT | Childhood and Adolescent Obesity

Childhood and adolescent obesity

Childhood obesity is a multifactorial condition that has become a serious public health problem worldwide. In 2020, the World Obesity Federation estimated that 158 million children older than five years were overweight. The World Obesity Atlas published by WOF shows that more than 750 million children aged 5 to 19 years will have been overweight by 2035, which means two out of every five children worldwide, and most of them will be living in middle-income countries. In Brazil, the Food and Nutrition Surveillance System indicates that nearly 31% of the children and adolescents seen in SUS primary healthcare units in 2022 were overweight.

Obesity is a risk factor for diabetes and heart and respiratory diseases during childhood and in adulthood, affecting the quality of life and proper development of children and adolescents and placing a burden on the healthcare system. Taking action to reduce the growing number of obesity cases has posed a great challenge. As a result of the decrease in the price of ultraprocessed foods compared to fresh foods and of the aggressive marketing campaigns targeted at children and adolescents, the consumption of ultraprocessed foods by this public has been on the rise in recent years.

Worse eating habits among children and adolescents and higher food and nutritional insecurity have brought about the phenomenon known as double burden of malnutrition, which consists of the coexistence of undernutrition, nutritional deficiencies, overweight, and obesity. Therefore, a child with obesity can simultaneously have malnutrition.

Desiderata undertakes integrated actions to raise awareness among public administrators and to promote the adoption of public policies for the prevention and treatment of childhood obesity, including knowledge production and dissemination, data monitoring, mobilization efforts, and advocacy actions in the legislative and executive branches.

Advocacy for the prevention of childhood and adolescent obesity

Strategy

Advocacy in legislative and executive branches for the formulation, approval, and implementation of public policies that promote healthy and adequate nutrition among children and adolescents.

Results

Local bill n°1662/2019

Approved on June 13, 2023, giving rise to Local Act n°7987/2023 in Rio de Janeiro, which prohibits the supply of ultraprocessed foods at public and private schools. This Act impacts the nutritional health of approximately 579,176 students enrolled in regular education and 3,760 students enrolled in special education.

Local bill n° 40/2023

Approved on June 29, 2023, giving rise to Local Act 3800/2023 in Niterói, it updates Act 2596/2009. This Act now bans the sales, supply, and advertisements of ultraprocessed foods in public and private foods, impacting the nutritional health of approximately 35,420 students enrolled in regular education and 2,286 students enrolled in special education.

Patient healthcare trajectory for the prevention, surveillance, and treatment of childhood and adolescent obesity in Niterói

Strategy

Partnership with the Local Health Department of Niterói for the systematization of food and nutrition surveillance measures, promotion of healthy and adequate nutrition and of physical activity in the six regions of the city: Norte l, Norte ll, Praias da Baía I, Praias da Baía ll, Pendotiba, and Leste Oceânica.

Pocket guide with healthcare service flowcharts and care strategy;

Training of 42% of primary healthcare workers (hybrid learning);

We received the Laboratory of Innovation in Health and Surveillance award, implemented by PAHO in partnership with the Local Health Department of Niterói. Ten innovative and potentially reproducible health surveillance experiences were selected

Training of primary healthcare workers

Strategy

Training of primary healthcare workers in the state of Rio de Janeiro through courses on childhood and adolescent obesity

Results

1,048 health professionals trained in the care of childhood and adolescent obesity.

Research and dissemination of information

Strategy

Production and dissemination of health information about childhood and adolescent obesity and topics closely related to it, with the aim of raising awareness of the civil society and supporting the implementation of public policies.

Results

Launch of the da 5th version of the Panorama of Childhood and Adolescent Obesity

8,647
accesses to the Panorama
of Childhood and Adolescent Obesity in 2023

Submission of 20
draft bills
through the political pressure tool for replication in other municipalities

01
bill
filed in Florianópolis, SC.

Evaluation of the food environment and food provided to the Hospital Municipal Pediátrico Getúlio Vargas Filho in Niterói and submission of a technical report on the findings for regulation of the supply of ultraprocessed foods

Launch of the Practical Guide for Healthy Cafeterias

First phase of the econometric study on direct and indirect costs of treating childhood and adolescent obesity in the Brazilian Public Health System (SUS)

Support for the research into Commercialization of Foods in Brazilian Schools (CAEB) in Niterói and in Recife, which assesses the nutritional profile of foods sold in the cafeterias of private schools and the students’ perception about them.

Strategic networks

Long-term collective and integrated initiatives are essential to confront the challenges brought about the high rates of obesity among children and adolescents. To achieve that, Desiderata believes it is essential to collaborate with national and international groups that can enhance the impact of their initiatives, such as:

Alliance for Healthy and Adequate Food

Coalition that brings together professionals, associations, and social movements devoted to the promotion and protection of healthy and adequate eating practices. The aim of the group is to encourage the advancement of public policies that ensure food and nutritional security for the population. Desiderata joined the Steering Committee in 2021.

NCD Alliance

International organization that brings together over 2,000 organizations, including civil society movements, government partners, and UN agencies, which formulate policies and practices regarding non-communicable diseases worldwide, including cancer and obesity.

Food Policy Program

Drawing upon the vast experience of Bloomberg Philanthropies in tobacco control, the Food Policy Program urges civil society organizations and research institutes to promote efficient public policies for the regulation of practices, foods, and environments. In Brazil, the following organizations and institutes participate in the Food Policy Program: ACT Health Promotion, Brazilian Institute of Consumer Protection (IDEC), FIAN Brasil, Center for Epidemiological Research into Nutrition and Health (NUPENS), and the Desiderata Institute.

Intersectoral Forum for the Control of NCDs

Its goal is to forge partnerships between the main public sector, private sector, and third sector organizations for the control of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). This is a continuing initiative on digital platforms and with semi-annual meetings, in which more than 100 organizations participate.

Brazilian Ministry of Health and PAHO

Participation of Desiderata in the working group for formulation of guidelines on the Conflict of Interest Prevention and Management (CoI) in Food and Nutrition, Tobacco, and Alcohol Policies and Programs.

World Obesity Federation

The World Obesity Federation brings together organizations from around the world involved in research into and treatment of obesity and its associated comorbidities. Desiderata became a member of the Federation in 2022.

Child Food Insecurity Network

The network, led by the José Luiz Egídyo Setúbal Foundation, consists of a group of organizations that work on the child protection agenda, focusing on the fight against hunger and on the promotion of healthy and adequate eating practices. Desiderata has been part of the network’s advocacy forefront since 2022.