Estado nutricional de estudantes do Ensino Fundamental na Rede Municipal de Campina Grande - PB.

Abstract

Adolescence is a phase of intense body modification, and inadequate dietary practices are associated with a high risk of overweight, obesity and other chronic noncommunicable diseases (CDNT), which are the main determinant of death in all regions of Brazil. the largest of them due to cardiovascular causes. The nutritional status of the elementary school students of the Campina Grande / PB municipal network was evaluated from a cross-sectional, pilot epidemiological study, through the completion of trained questionnaires by trained researchers. The final sample consisted of 558 adolescents of 51.6% (288) males, with the majority of adolescents being 66.4% (372), 20.4% (114) overweight, 9.7% (54) obese and only 3.2% (18) with low weight. In other words, 30.1% of the participants were overweight, of which 15.8% (88) were male. The results are corroborated by the literature that affirms that prevalence of overweight in adolescents ranges from 16% to 19% in both sexes in the Northeast Regions. The present study aims to contribute to the knowledge of the prevalence of overweight in the adolescents of the city of Campina Grande, to compare the data obtained with the national estimate and to serve as a subsidy for the implantation of strategies that effectively prevent obesity, other risk factors, and their consequences, in the early stages of life.