Objective: To evaluate the prevalence, and identify factors associated with rapid
weight gain in preschool children. Methods: A cross sectional study was carried out with 136 children between 24 and 35
months of age attending public daycare centers in Mogi das Cruzes between
February and December 2014. Interviews were conducted with the mothers for
clinical, sociodemographic and anthropometric characterizations of the
children. It was considered to be rapid weight gain when the children
presented a difference greater than 0.67 between the weight for age Z score
from birth to evaluation. A logistic regression model was adjusted for
factors associated with rapid weight gain. Results: Fifty children (36.8%) presented rapid weight gain and 36 (26.5%) were
overweight. Of these, 22 children were in the rapid weight gain group. The
logistic model showed that longest total breastfeeding time (OR 0.94, 95%CI
0.88-0.99; p=0.031) was a protection factor, and low socioeconomic level (OR
4.18, 95%CI 1.04-18.60; p=0.044) was a risk factor for rapid weight
gain.Conclusions: There was a high prevalence of rapid weight gain and being overweight among
three year old preschoolers attending public day care centers in Brazil.
Encouraging the practice of breastfeeding children in the first years of
life, in addition to giving guidance about appropriate foods, especially for
families with a low socioeconomic status, can potentially contribute to
reduce rapid weight gain and, consequently, future metabolic complications
of being overweight.
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