Trends in risk and protective factors for non-communicable diseases in the population with health insurance in Brazil from 2008 to 2015.

Objective: To analyze trends in risk and protective factors for non-communicable diseases (NCD) and access to preventive tests in the population with health insurance in Brazilian state capitals between 2008 and 2015.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional study that analyzed data collected from the Surveillance of Risk and Protective Factors for non-communicable diseases (NCD) Telephone Survey (Sistema Nacional de Vigilância de Doenças Crônicas por Inquérito Telefônico - Vigitel) on adults aged 18 years and older. We analyzed trends in NCD indicators among health insurance users in approximately 30 thousand interviews done between 2008 and 2015. We used the simple linear regression model to calculate the trends.

Results: Health insurance users showed an increase in the prevalence of protective factors such as fruit and vegetable consumption, and physical activity in leisure time. Also, there was a decrease in risk factors such as smoking and soft drink consumption, increase in mammography coverage, and a drop in smoking prevalence. However, overweight, obesity, and diabetes increased.

Conclusion: There are differences according to gender, and, in general, women accumulate more protective factors and men, more risk factors.