To assess the association of parents' nutritional status, and dietary and sociodemographic factors with overweight/obesity in schoolchildren in Florianópolis Island, Santa Catarina State, Brazil, this cross-sectional epidemiological study examined 2,826 schoolchildren 7 to 14 years old, classified according to body mass index curves for age and sex recommended by the International Obesity Task Force. Data were analyzed using Poisson regression. The final model showed overweight/obesity in boys associated directly with father's educational level, mother's age, and parents' nutritional status, and inversely with mother's educational level, and number of daily meals. Among girls, it associated directly with parents' nutritional status and the schoolchildren's age, and inversely with consumption of risk foods. The variables that associated with overweight/obesity differed between the sexes, except parents' nutritional status. Boys and girls with both parents overweight or obese were, respectively, 80% and 150% more likely to exhibit the same diagnosis, indicating the need for interventions that include the family environment.

Obesity was associated with number of teeth, though it depended on the participants' age groups.

Objective: To assess the effects of a nutritional education program on the prevalence of overweight/obesity and on the foods eaten by schoolchildren in the 2nd grade of primary education. Methods:The sample was made up of 135 schoolchildren, recruited from one private and one public school in Florianópolis, Brazil, and allocated to either an intervention group (n = 55) or a no-intervention group (n = 80). The children underwent two anthropometric assessments and two dietary intake assessments, before and after attending a nutritional education program. The program consisted of eight fortnightly meetings and covered subjects related to healthy diets, how to make healthy snacks, and physical activity. Nutritional status was classified according to body mass index for age, using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention growth charts as reference, and the foods the children ate at school were classified according to the Santa Catarina School Canteens Act. Data were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, and values of p ≤ 0.05 were defined as significant. Results:The percentage of overweight/obese schoolchildren increased from 21.8 to 23.6% in the intervention group and from 33.7 to 35.0% in the no-intervention group (p > 0.05). The intervention group significantly (p = 0.013) reduced its intake of artificial juice, which is prohibited by the Act. In the no-intervention group, there was a significant increase in intake of prohibited foods, such as mass-produced snacks (p = 0.021) and soda (p = 0.031). Furthermore, the intake of breakfast cereal, which is appropriate for eating at school, decreased (p = 0.039). Conclusion:Despite its short duration, after attending the nutritional education program, there were improvements in the quality of the food the schoolchildren were eating. J Pediatr (Rio J). 2009;85(4):315-321:Dietary and nutritional education, nutritional assessment, dietary habits, anthropometry, overweight, obesity. ResumoObjetivo: Avaliar o efeito de um programa de educação nutricional na prevalência de sobrepeso/obesidade e no consumo alimentar de alunos da 2ª série do ensino fundamental.Métodos: Amostra composta por 135 escolares de uma escola privada e uma pública de Florianópolis (SC), divididos entre os grupos com intervenção (n = 55) e sem intervenção (n = 80). Realizaram-se duas avaliações antropométricas e de consumo alimentar, antes e após a aplicação de um programa de educação nutricional. O programa foi composto por oito encontros quinzenais e abordou temas referentes à alimentação saudável, confecção de lanches adequados e atividade física. O diagnóstico nutricional foi obtido pelo índice de massa corporal para idade, de acordo com o Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, e os alimentos consumidos na escola foram classificados em permitidos ou proibidos pela Lei das Cantinas de Santa Catarina. Os dados foram analisados no Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, considerando como significativo p ≤ 0,05.Resultados: O percentual de escolares com sob...

OBJECTIVE To describe the sample plan, operational aspects, and strategies used in the 2009/2010 and 2013/2014 EpiFloripa Aging Study.METHODS The EpiFloripa Aging is a population-based longitudinal study with 1,705 older adults (60 years or more) living in the municipality of Florianópolis, State of Santa Catarina, Brazil, in 2009/2010 (baseline). The research was conducted with a face-to-face interviews, organized into blocks of identification, socioeconomic, mental health, health and life habits, global functionality, falls, physical activity, morbidities, use of health services, use of medications, food, oral health, and violence, evaluated in the first (2009/2010) and in the second wave (2013/2014). Additionally, in the second wave, we investigated the issue of discrimination and quality of life.RESULTS The response rate of the first wave was 89.2% (n = 1,705). The baseline sample, with predominance of women (63.9%), was similar to the 2010 Census regarding age for women and slightly different for younger men. In the second wave, 1,197 participants were interviewed (response rate of 70.3%). Follow-up losses were only observed for the variable age group (p = 0.003), and predominantly for those aged 80 years or more. Mortality data linkage and active search for participants were used as a follow-up strategies.CONCLUSIONS This study used strategies that were able to help locate the participants and maintain adherence, which ensured a good response rate during investigations.

OBJECTIVE To analyze if differences according to gender exists in the association between tooth loss and obesity among older adults.METHODS We analyzed data on 1,704 older adults (60 years and over) from the baseline of a prospective cohort study conducted in Florianopolis, SC, Southern Brazil. Multivariable logistic regression models were used to assess the association between tooth loss and general and central obesity after adjustment for confounders (age, gender, skin color, educational attainment, income, smoking, physical activity, use of dentures, hypertension, and diabetes). Linear regressions were also assessed with body mass index and waist circumference as continuous outcomes. Interaction between gender and tooth loss was further assessed.RESULTS Overall mean body mass index was 28.0 kg/m2. Mean waist circumference was 96.8 cm for males and 92.6 cm for females. Increasing tooth loss was positively associated with increased body mass index and waist circumference after adjustment for confounders. Edentates had 1.4 (95%CI 1.1;1.9) times higher odds of being centrally obese than individuals with a higher number of teeth; however, the association lost significance after adjustment for confounders. In comparison with edentate males, edentate females presented a twofold higher adjusted prevalence of general and central obesity. In the joint effects model, edentate females had a 3.8 (95%CI 2.2;6.6) times higher odds to be centrally obese in comparison with males with more than 10 teeth present in both the arches. Similarly, females with less than 10 teeth in at least one arch had a 2.7 (95%CI 1.6;4.4) times higher odds ratio of having central obesity in comparison with males with more than 10 teeth present in both the arches.CONCLUSIONS Central obesity was more prevalent than general obesity among the older adults. We did not observe any association between general obesity and tooth loss. The association between central obesity and tooth loss depends on gender – females with tooth loss had greater probability of being obese.