Undernutrition is one of the most important public health problems, affecting more than 900 million individuals around the World. It is responsible for the highest mortality rate in children and has long-lasting physiologic effects, including an increased susceptibility to fat accumulation mostly in the central region of the body, lower fat oxidation, lower resting and postprandial energy expenditure, insulin resistance in adulthood, hypertension, dyslipidaemia and a reduced capacity for manual work, among other impairments. Marked changes in the function of the autonomic nervous system have been described in undernourished experimental animals. Some of these effects seem to be epigenetic, passing on to the next generation. Undernutrition in children has been linked to poor mental development and school achievement as well as behavioural abnormalities. However, there is still a debate in the literature regarding whether some of these effects are permanent or reversible. Stunted children who had experienced catch-up growth had verbal vocabulary and quantitative test scores that did not differ from children who were not stunted. Children treated before 6 years of age in day-hospitals and who recovered in weight and height have normal body compositions, bone mineral densities and insulin production and sensitivity.

The effects of dietary supplementation with coconut oil on the biochemical and anthropometric profiles of women presenting waist circumferences (WC) >88 cm (abdominal obesity) were investigated. The randomised, double-blind, clinical trial involved 40 women aged 20-40 years. Groups received daily dietary supplements comprising 30 mL of either soy bean oil (group S; n = 20) or coconut oil (group C; n = 20) over a 12-week period, during which all subjects were instructed to follow a balanced hypocaloric diet and to walk for 50 min per day. Data were collected 1 week before (T1) and 1 week after (T2) dietary intervention. Energy intake and amount of carbohydrate ingested by both groups diminished over the trial, whereas the consumption of protein and fibre increased and lipid ingestion remained unchanged. At T1 there were no differences in biochemical or anthropometric characteristics between the groups, whereas at T2 group C presented a higher level of HDL (48.7 +/- 2.4 vs. 45.00 +/- 5.6; P = 0.01) and a lower LDL:HDL ratio (2.41 +/- 0.8 vs. 3.1 +/- 0.8; P = 0.04). Reductions in BMI were observed in both groups at T2 (P < 0.05), but only group C exhibited a reduction in WC (P = 0.005). Group S presented an increase (P < 0.05) in total cholesterol, LDL and LDL:HDL ratio, whilst HDL diminished (P = 0.03). Such alterations were not observed in group C. It appears that dietetic supplementation with coconut oil does not cause dyslipidemia and seems to promote a reduction in abdominal obesity.

The objectives of the study were to investigate whether the health conditions of mothers with short stature differed from those with normal stature, and to establish if these aspects were associated with the health of the offspring. Data relating to health and socio-economic, demographic and anthropometric conditions were collected from a probabilistic sample population consisting of 1180 mothers and 1511 children (, 10 years) living in the semi-arid region of the State of Alagoas, Brazil. Mothers were categorised according to stature, with those in the 1st quartile being defined as of short stature and those in the 4th quartile being defined as of normal stature and serving as a reference for the comparison of variables of interest. Following verification that maternal stature fulfilled parametric assumptions, its associations with the other variables were determined by calculating Pearson correlation coefficients. After excluding strongly self-correlated variables (r $0·70), the remaining variables were analysed by multiple linear regression. The results showed that low maternal stature was independently associated with obesity (percentage body fat $30; P¼ 0·045), abdominal adiposity (waist:hip ratio $0·85; P¼ 0·007) and high systolic blood pressure ($140 mmHg; P¼ 0·006). Short maternal stature was associated with low birth weight (,3000 g; P¼ 0·01) and stunting (height-for-age Z score , 22; P¼ 0·019) in the offspring. Thus, in the semi-arid region of Alagoas, women of short stature presented a higher prevalence of chronic degenerative diseases and produced less healthy children than women of normal stature. Anthropometry: Nutritional status: Stunting: ProgrammingIn line with the majority of developing countries, Brazil is experiencing a process of epidemiological transition characterised by a reduction in the prevalence of infectious-parasitic diseases together with an increase in morbidity and mortality caused by chronic non-transmissible diseases (1) . At the same time, the population is undergoing a nutritional transition in which undernutrition is replaced by obesity, a condition which is rapidly becoming a serious public health problem (2) . National surveys conducted by the Instituto Brasileiro de Geografia e Estatística (Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics) (3) have revealed that the prevalence of weight deficit in Brazilian women decreased from 10·2 % in 1974-5 to 5·4 % in 2002-3. In contrast, the frequency of excess body weight increased from 28·6 % to 39·2 %, respectively, over the same time period.One explanation for this phenomenon relates to the modernisation and urbanisation of society, which is associated with alterations in food consumption habits and particularly with a tendency towards high-energy foods (simple carbohydrates and fats) (4) . However, following a study of the dietary profile of a poor population living in a shanty town in Maceió (capital of the State of Alagoas, Brazil), Florêncio et al. (5) discovered that, although the women ingested an average of 7238 kJ (1730 k...

Foram estudados beneficiários do Programa Bolsa Família de Maceió (AL) e encontrada alta prevalência de desnutrição nas crianças (18%) e adolescentes (20%); mas excesso de peso nos adultos (51%). As mulheres beneficiárias tiveram quatro vezes mais chance de ter obesidade abdominal em relação aos outros adultos. A maioria das famílias (92%) apresentou Insegurança Alimentar (IA), sendo em 33% grave. Houve associação entre IA e maior número de pessoas na casa e desemprego. Entre as obesas houve aumento no consumo de alimentos ricos em carboidratos e lipídios em relação à outra população não beneficiária. Encontrou-se ingestão inadequada de cálcio, folato, vitamina E, magnésio, vitamina C, zinco, riboflavina, tiamina e fibra. Esses achados demonstram a necessidade de ações integradas entre políticas de educação/saúde e os programas de transferência de renda.

Objective: To investigate the association of malnutrition in children living in substandard settlements (favelas) of Maceió, Brazil, with maternal nutritional status and environmental conditions. Methods:Cross-sectional study involving a probability sample of 2,075 mothers (18 to 45 years) and their children (4 months to 6 years), living in the favelas of the city of Maceió. First, we conducted a cluster analysis with the purpose of choosing the settlements and the administrative region of the city of Maceió with the lowest human development index. After this analysis, the 7th Administrative Region was designated for the study, including its 23 substandard settlements. Socioeconomic, demographic, anthropometric, and maternal and child health data were collected by means of household survey. The statistical analysis included the odds ratio of a child to be malnourished, and the univariate regression was used to check which maternal variables were associated with this malnutrition.Results: Chronic malnutrition (-2 standard deviations/height for age) was found in 8.6% of children and was associated with mother's age and educational level, type of residence, number of rooms, flooring, water supply, and low birth weight (< 2,500 g) in children aged ≤ 24 months. We also found an association between child malnutrition and maternal height. Such association was not observed regarding body mass index. Conclusions:The high prevalence of malnutrition observed in these settlements was related to social and environmental conditions and short maternal height, who had weight deficit or weight excess.J Pediatr (Rio J). 2010;86(3):215-220: Stunting, obesity, poverty. ResumoObjetivo: Investigar a associação da desnutrição em crianças residentes em assentamentos subnormais (favelas) de Maceió (AL) com o estado nutricional materno e as condições socioambientais.Métodos: Estudo transversal, envolvendo amostra probabilística de 2.075 mães (18 a 45 anos) e respectivos filhos (4 meses a 6 anos), moradoras nas favelas da cidade de Maceió. Para escolha dos assentamentos, procedeu-se primeiramente a uma análise de clusters para eleger a região administrativa da cidade de Maceió com menor índice de desenvolvimento humano. Após essa análise, a 7ª Região Administrativa foi a designada para o estudo, com seus 23 assentamentos subnormais. Os dados socioeconômicos, demográficos, antropométricos e de saúde materno-infantil foram coletados através de inquérito domiciliar. A estatística analisou a razão de chances de uma criança ser desnutrida, e a regressão univariada foi usada para verificar quais variáveis maternas estariam associadas a essa desnutrição. Resultados:A desnutrição crônica (-2 desvios padrão/altura por idade) esteve presente em 8,6% das crianças e associou-se com idade e escolaridade materna, tipo de residência, número de cômodos, revestimento de piso, origem da água e baixo peso ao nascer (< 2.500 g) em crianças com idade ≤ 24 meses. Encontrou-se também associação entre desnutrição infantil e baixa estatura materna, que nã...