title: Prevalence of obesity in preschool children from five towns in São Paulo State, Brazil.
abstract: Health and nutritional characteristics of children under 5 years of age were investigated through a cross-sectional study in 5 small cities from different regions in the State of Sao Paulo, Brazil, which displayed different socioeconomic profiles: Bady Bassit, Bofete, Jaborandi, Morungaba, and Riversul. Data were obtained using a systematic sampling from the 1991 National Census. Anthropometric data were collected from all children under 5 years of age living in the selected households. Nutritional status was determined by height/age and weight/height according to the National Center for Health Statistics -- NCHS standards. Stunting was defined as HAZ below -- 2 Z scores and obesity as WHZ above 2 Z scores. The study sample consisted of 987 children (490 boys and 497 girls). Prevalence of obesity was 6.6% (65) and stunting 5.0% (51). Per capita income displayed a significant and positive association with obesity (p = 0.018), in contrast to an inverse association with stunting (p = 0.038).
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Saúde, Secretaria do Estado da Saúde de São Paulo, Instituto de Saúde, São Paulo, Brazil. sm_saldiva@uol.com.br
authors.forename: Silvia Regina Dias Medici
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Saldiva
authors.forename: Maria Mercedes Loureiro
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Escuder
authors.forename: Sonia Isoyama
authors.initials: SI
authors.lastname: Venâncio
authors.forename: Maria Helena D'Aquino
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Benicio
mesh_terms: D001827:Body Height; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence