title: [Short stature in children of Karapotó ethnic background, São Sebastião, Alagoas, Brazil].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the prevalence of short stature among children of Karapotó ethnic background.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional, population-based study that included children between 6 and 59 months of age from the Plak-Ô native village and the Terra Nova settlement, São Sebastião, Alagoas, carried out between 2008 and 2009. Short stature was evaluated by the Height/Age index, using as cutoff z score ≤-2. The prevalence of short stature was determined by comparing simple and relative frequencies. The population growth curves were compared to the WHO reference curves. Data analysis included the outcome variable: Height/Age and the predictor variables: place of residence, gender, age, anemia, birth weight, family income, maternal literacy. The chi-square test was used to compare the categorical variables, whereas the chi-square test with Yates correction was used for dichotomous variables, considering as statistically significant p-values≤0.05.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of short stature was 15.6% for children from the Terra Nova settlement and 9.1% for those from Plak-Ô native village. The prevalence of short stature among the Karapotó ethnicity was 13.4%. The variables: maternal literacy, family income and low birth weight were statistically associated with short stature.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The observed short stature prevalence rates are significant, being characterized as a public health problem. Among the associated factors, the following are noteworthy: unfavorable conditions of maternal literacy, family income and low birth weight. The planning of strategies to reverse the situation must take such factors into consideration.
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Alagoas (UfAl), Maceió, AL, Brasil.
authors.forename: Samara Bonfim Gomes
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Campos
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Alagoas (UfAl), Maceió, AL, Brasil. Electronic address: risiamenezes@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Risia Cristina Egito
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: de Menezes
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Alagoas (UfAl), Maceió, AL, Brasil.
authors.forename: Maria Alice Araújo
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Alagoas (UfAl), Maceió, AL, Brasil.
authors.forename: Danielle Alice Vieira da
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Alagoas (UfAl), Maceió, AL, Brasil.
authors.forename: Giovana
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Longo-Silva
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Vitória de Santo Antão, PE, Brasil.
authors.forename: Juliana Souza
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Oliveira
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Alagoas (UfAl), Maceió, AL, Brasil.
authors.forename: Leiko
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Asakura
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Vitória de Santo Antão, PE, Brasil.
authors.forename: Emília Chagas
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Costa
authors.affiliation: Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Vitória de Santo Antão, PE, Brasil.
authors.forename: Vanessa Sá
authors.initials: VS
authors.lastname: Leal
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006130:Growth Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006801:Humans; D007199:Indians, South American; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D015995:Prevalence
keywords: Anthropometry; Antropometria; Desnutrição; Estado nutricional; Indigenous population; Malnutrition; Nutritional status; População indígena