Co-occurrence of Smoking and Unhealthy Diet in the Brazilian Adult Population.

backgroundSmoking and an inadequate diet are behavioral risk factors that contribute to the majority of deaths and disabilities caused by noncommunicable diseases.

objectivesTo estimate the prevalence of the co-occurrence of smoking and inadequate diet and identify associated factors in adults.

methodsA cross-sectional population-based study was conducted with a sample of 28,950 Brazilian adults (18 to 59 years old). Data were obtained from Sistema de Vigilância por Inquérito Telefônico (Vigitel [Brazilian Health Surveillance Telephone Survey]) in 2014. Independent associations were investigated using Poisson hierarchical regression analysis with 5% significance level.

resultsThe prevalence of the co-occurrence of smoking and unhealthy eating was 8.6% (95% CI: 7.9-9.3) and was higher among individuals residing in the southern region of the country than in those living in the central western region (PR = 1.50; 95% CI: 1.18-1.89), those with no private health insurance (PR = 1.14; 95% CI: 1.03-1.25), those who drank alcohol abusively (binge drinkers) (PR = 3.22; 95% CI: 2.70-3.85) and those who self-rated their health as fair (PR = 1.65; 95% CI: 1.36-1.99) or poor/very poor (PR = 1.70; 95% CI: 1.18-2.44). The prevalence of both factors was lower among individuals residing in the northeastern region of the country, women, individuals with brown skin color, those with a spouse, the more educated ones and those with overweight or obesity.

conclusionThe more vulnerable segments to the co-occurrence of the risk factors studied were men residing in the southern region of the country, individuals with a lower socioeconomic status and those who reported binge drinking. Interventions addressing multiple behavioral risk factors adapted to specific contexts could have a greater impact on the Brazilian population.