Constructs and criteria for diagnosing the primary approach to overweight in Brazil and Portugal: Convergences and divergences

This study used a questionnaire to gather information from experts in Portugal and Brazil on their approach to obesity. The objective of this study was to identify and discuss convergence and divergence of an instrument for evaluating public policies to combat obesity based on the theoretical logical model of Brazil’s primary care policy. With this, we evaluated the diagnostic criteria for this instrument and its applicability in PHC in Brazil and Portugal. The first stage was construction and evaluation. Using the Delphi method, we evaluated four dimensions with Brazilian experts: primary healthcare organization, management, public policy for overweight people, and health system performance. In the second stage, we submitted the form to Portuguese experts, who disagreed with the dimensions and criteria. This form was subsequently modified and reissued. Experts disagreed and agreed on certain points, using Brazil’s logical theoretical model for PHC as a reference. The classification of plausible assessment criteria for primary healthcare differs among experts in both countries. Portugal with its plausible criteria focuses more consolidated PHC, better-established protocols, and patient centric care, however plausible criteria for Brazilians approach to overweight is intersectoral and centered on territory and community. No external funding nor grants of any nature were involved in this work.