Avaliação nutricional e consumo alimentar de pré-escolares em creches públicas do município de Alagoa Grande - PB.

Abstract

Adequate food in the first years of life is of utmost importance for growth and development as well as for maintaining health, because it is at that stage of life that your dietary habits are formed and consolidated and are more vulnerable to nutritional deficiencies. The objective of this research was to evaluate the nutritional status and frequency of food consumption of preschool children in day care centers in the city of Alagoa Grande - PB. The analysis of the socioeconomic level was evaluated through an elaborated questionnaire in which it contained information about children's data. For food consumption of preschool children, food frequency questionnaires were applied, where all food groups were considered, with possible foods consumed by preschool children in the day care center. Already for the evaluation of the nutritional status were measured body weight measurements for and for stature measurement. The nutritional status was classified according to weight-for-age (P / I), weight for height (P / E), height for age (I / I) and Body Mass Index - BMI for age. Regarding the socioeconomic level of those responsible for children, it was verified that the majority had a low socioeconomic level. Regarding the supply in day-care centers, milk and dairy products, such as milk powder, were more frequent. The food group of breads, cereals and derivatives was also quite consumed. In relation to foods offered in kindergartens from two to four times a week we have fruits, including banana, orange, papaya and watermelon and the food group of meats and derivatives. The foods least consumed by the children were cow's milk, butter and fruits, such as apple, pear, melon, grape, pineapple and avocado. From the total of 42 children evaluated, the frequency for the P / I parameter was 14.29% considered as having a low weight for age, 73.81% weight adequate for age and 11.90% for the high weight parameter For the age. For the P / E parameter, 4.76% of the studied children are under nutritional diagnosis of thinness, 71.43% considered in eutrophy, 9.52% with risk of overweight and 14.29% with obesity. Regarding the E / I parameter, 4.76% of the children in this study had very short stature for age, 28.57% had stature for age and 66.66% for stature adequate for age. Regarding the BMI / I parameter, 2.38% of the children indicated a nutritional diagnosis of thinness, 64.29% eutrophy, 19.05% showed a risk of overweight, and 14.29% indicated a pattern of obesity. It is of the utmost importance that children have a balanced diet, offering all the food groups in the day 8 care centers, because it is there that the eating habits are formed and consolidated, and it is at this stage also that the child is in the process of growth and development.