Childhood Obesity in the Quilombola Community of Mussuca - Sergipe

Childhood obesity has been increasing rapidly in recent decades, and this has been characterized as a true global epidemic. This is very worrying, as the association between obesity and metabolic alterations such as hypertension and glucose intolerance, which are risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease, was more evident in adults until a few years ago, but can now be seen in children and adolescents. Even with the political mobilization for the organization of quilombola communities, there is a situation in which indicators point to the continued social vulnerability of communities and a certain distance between these populations and social policies and their benefits. Problems such as poor quality education, insufficient provision of health and sanitation services, as well as precarious housing, are recurring demands in Sergipe’s quilombola communities.