OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of obesity and analyze its social-cultural determinants among adults from 86 farming families of a neighborhood of Petrópolis, in the mountain region of Rio de Janeiro state. METHOD: This quantitative and qualitative study on nutrition, food and work-related practices was conducted in 2008. The anthropometric data were collected by a household nutritional survey and the qualitative data, by participant observation and interviews. RESULTS: The obesity prevalence among men was low (9.3%) but it was very high (29.9%) in women. Physical activity required for farm work in the region is more intense for men than for women. Despite this difference, men and women have similar diet that includes a high proportion of high calorie food items. Local families grow crops mainly for sale. Commercial agriculture with product specialization encourages purchasing rather than growing food for family consumption. CONCLUSION: The studied social-cultural and occupational aspects may have contributed to raise obesity among women in this community, and can be useful to study other populations with similar characteristics. This research confirms the significance of studying obesity at the local level, combining quantitative and qualitative approaches, in order to identify potential constrains and points of entry for locally relevant intervention programs.
nutritional status; obesity; food habits; rural population; physical activity
