Low body weight/thinness, overweight and obesity of children and adolescents from a Brazilian region of low economic status.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the prevalence of low body weight/thinness, overweight and obesity in a representative sample of children and adolescents from a Brazilian region with low economic development.


METHODS
A total of 982 girls and 986 boys, aged seven to 17 years old and assisted by Segundo Tempo Program, from Montes Claros, Minas Gerais, Brazil, were included in the study. Low body weight/thinness, overweight and obesity were defined based on body mass cut-off indexes recommended by the International Obesity Task Force. The prevalence of the nutritional status according to sex and age was compared by chi-square test.


RESULTS
In girls, the frequency of low body weight/thinness, overweight and obesity was 4.1, 18.4 and 3.8%, respectively; in boys, these percentages were 6.3, 13.2 and 2.9%, respectively. The low body weight/thinness for girls raised from 2.7% (7-10 years old) to 5.5% (15-17 years old); the body weight excess (overweight and obesity) decreased from 30.1 to 16.2% for the same age groups. In boys, the corresponding trends were from 3.2 to 9.4% for low body weight/thinness, and from 23.4 to 9.2%, for body weight excess.


CONCLUSIONS
The data indicate that, even in a region with low economic status, the body weight excess was the main problem associated with nutritional health. The high overweight and obesity prevalence rates indicate the need of public policies for promoting healthy feeding behaviors and physical activity.
Centro de Pesquisa em Ciências da Saúde, Unopar, LondrinaPR, Brasil.
Dartagnan Pinto
DP
Guedes
Secretaria Municipal de Juventude, Esporte e Lazer de Montes Claros, Montes ClarosMG, Brasil.
Francisléia Nascimento
FN
Almeida
Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Montes ClarosMG, Brasil.
Jaime Tolentino M
JT
Neto
Universidade Estadual de Montes Claros, Montes ClarosMG, Brasil.
Maria de Fátima de M
Mde F
Maia
Secretaria Municipal de Juventude, Esporte e Lazer de Montes Claros, Montes ClarosMG, Brasil.
Thatiana Maia
TM
Tolentino
D000293:Adolescent; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013851:Thinness / Q000453:epidemiology*