Epidemiologic and Nutritional Profile of Children in Public Schools

Introduction: The increase in obesity among children is a concern of great importance in public health once studies have shown it reflects in a higher risk of obesity in adulthood and comorbidities.

Objective: Describe the nutritional and epidemiologic profile of children in public schools in an urban area in Southern Brazil.

Method: cross-section study using convenience sample of 568 children ages 5 to 10, from day care facilities and public schools in Southern Brazil. Data regarding weight, height and Body Mass Index (BMI) was collected, according to Health Ministry Technical Normative. The nutritional status was defined and weight, height and BMI’s Z score averages were obtained, by age and sex. Height by age (H/A) and BMI/A of pre-schoolers and schoolchildren were compared.

Results: 51% are females and 49% are males. The age average was 6.17. Males and females had a weight average of 23 kg and height average of 117 cm. In regard to nutritional status, 70% of children were eutrophic; 27% of females and 23.5% of males were overweight, obese or severely obese, considering that males (4.9%) presented almost twice the rate of severe obesity compared to females (2.9%). Comparing pre-schoolers (ages 5 to 6) to schoolchildren (ages 7 to 10), 23% and 56%, respectively, were overweight, obese and severely obese.

Conclusion: most children had adequate growth rates, however there is high prevalence of overweight, obesity and severe obesity, twice as much among schoolchildren, which draws attention to the necessity of intervention in form of nutritional control in schoolchildren.