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Healthier lifestyles were linked to more TCIM use in Brazil

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Research area:health-policy-serviceshealth-policy-services-general

What the study found

People with healthier lifestyle profiles were more likely to report using traditional, complementary and integrative medicine (TCIM), such as acupuncture, homeopathy, medicinal plants, and phytotherapy. The study also found that all three lifestyle profiles had a high prevalence of sedentary behavior.

Why the authors say this matters

The authors suggest that TCIM use may reflect broader health-oriented behavior patterns. They conclude that this supports considering these approaches in public health planning.

What the researchers tested

The researchers did a secondary analysis of data from the 2019 Brazilian National Health Survey. They grouped physical activity, sedentary behavior, and diet into lifestyle profiles using two-step cluster analysis, and they assessed TCIM use by self-report. They then used logistic regression to examine the association between lifestyle profiles and TCIM adoption.

What worked and what didn't

Three lifestyle profiles were identified among 90,814 people aged over 15 years. Compared with the least healthy profile, people in healthier lifestyle profiles were significantly more likely to report TCIM use, with an adjusted odds ratio of 1.55 (95% CI 1.34–1.81). The abstract says all profiles showed high sedentary behavior, and it notes that the at-risk group made up about 25% of the sample and had poor diet, low physical activity, and high screen time.

What to keep in mind

This was an observational secondary analysis, so the abstract does not describe causal effects. TCIM use was self-reported, and the summary does not provide additional limitations beyond the sample being from Brazil's 2019 national survey.

Key points

  • Healthier lifestyle profiles were associated with higher TCIM adoption.
  • All three lifestyle profiles showed high sedentary behavior.
  • TCIM examples in the study included acupuncture, homeopathy, medicinal plants, and phytotherapy.
  • The analysis included 90,814 people aged over 15 years from the 2019 Brazilian National Health Survey.
  • The at-risk group was about 25% of the sample and had poor diet, low physical activity, and high screen time.

Disclosure

Research title:
Healthier lifestyles were linked to more TCIM use in Brazil
Authors:
Leticia Schmitz Nacur de Almeida, Julianne Fic Alves, Gislaine Terezinha Amaral Nienov, Marcus Vinícius Veber Lopes, Jhonatan Wélington Pereira Gaia, Tuane Sarmento, Renato Cláudino, Thiago Sousa Matias
Institutions:
Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina
Publication date:
2026-02-28
DOI:
10.1016/j.aimed.2026.100635
OpenAlex record:
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AI provenance: This post was generated by gpt-5.4-mini (OpenAI). The original authors did not write or review this post.

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