Nutritional situation of children under five years old in Brazil’s northeastern cities

Abstract

OBJECTIVE:To describe the nutritional situation of children under five years old resident in three cities of Brazil's northeastern region. METHODS: A transversal epidemiological study was undertaken with the participation of 1,378 children. The anthropometric measurements height/age, weight/age and weight/height were calculated in terms of the Z score. Children's growth curves of the World Health Organization were used as reference. RESULTS: Higher proportions were found of overweight/ height (8.3% in Barra de São Miguel, 10.3% in Cabedelo and 5.9% in Tibau do Sul) than of deficit (1.5% in Barra de São Miguel, 1.9% in Cabedelo and 0.9% in Tibau do Sul). A higher prevalence of the height deficit was observed (5.9% in Barra de São Miguel, 5.5% in Cabedelo and 4.6% in Tibau do Sul) than of the weight deficit (3.6% in Barra de São Miguel, 2.5 % in Cabedelo and 1.5% in Tibau do Sul). CONCLUSION: The nutritional status of the group studied was unfavorable. Actions to promote adequate eating habits within the context of food and nutrition programs and policies should, therefore, be prioritized. The high prevalence of height deficit and overweight highlights the vulnerability of this group and the sum of the necessary actions should produce an impact by reversing this nutritional profile.

Food insecurity in families with children under five years of age on the Brazil-Peru Amazon border

“…26(3): 307-315. Doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.7322/jhgd.122761 of food insecurity with an impaired nutritional status in children [10][11][12][13] , and nutritional defi cits are still a common feature in Brazilian children less than fi ve years old 14 , suggesting a high prevalence of food insecurity in some areas of the country.…”

Fatores de risco relacionados à obesidade em escolares atendidos em um ambulatório de pediatria

“…As porcentagens de excesso de peso, incluindo sobrepeso e obesidade, encontradas na literatura, variou entre 5,9% e 45%, com uma maior prevalência de eutrofismo em todos eles (BRICEÑO et al, 2015;PEREIRA et al, 2012;MELO et al, 2012;CARVALHO et al, 2014;RIBEIRO et al, 2006).…”