Custos hospitalares diretos das internações por obesidade no SUS: uma análise descritiva do Brasil entre 2008 e 2024

Abstract

This study analyzes the direct hospital costs associated with obesity-related hospitalizations in the Brazilian Unified Health System (SUS) between 2008 and 2024, examining their evolution and distribution by sex, region, age group and race/color. The research is quantitative and descriptive, based on secondary data extracted from the SUS Hospital Information System (SIH/SUS), made available by the Department of Informatics of SUS (DATASUS) through the TabNet tool. Monetary values were adjusted for inflation using the IPCA index and expressed

in constant 2024 reais. Results show that, over the period, Brazil recorded 166,634 obesity- related hospitalizations, generating direct hospital costs of R$ 1,271,751,276.49. Spending

grew substantially until 2019, dropped sharply during the COVID-19 pandemic, and approached its pre-pandemic peak again by 2024. Women accounted for the majority of admissions and costs, while men's admissions were more expensive, longer, and associated with higher mortality. The South and Southeast regions concentrated most of the spending, although the North and Northeast showed the largest relative growth between 2023 and 2024. The 20-59 age group accounted for about 95% of total costs. Findings indicate that obesity imposes a relevant and growing financial burden on the public hospital system, with heterogeneous patterns across demographic groups and regions, reinforcing the need for targeted prevention and treatment policies.