Avaliação nutricional e níveis pressóricos de escolares do município de Esperança / PB.

Abstract

The Brazilian Society of Hypertension (SBH) conceptualizes Systemic Arterial Hypertension (SAH) as a multifactorial condition characterized by high and sustained levels of blood pressure. Many studies have shown high evidence that adult hypertension is a disease that begins in childhood, which has increased the concern with the assessment of blood pressure and the feeding of children and adolescents in recent decades. Recently, we have seen a reversal in food consumption patterns, with increased sodium intake. The diet of chronic consumption with high content of salt is associated with mortality from cardiovascular disease. In this context, this study aimed to evaluate the nutritional condition, blood pressure levels and frequency of school sodium consumption from public in the city of Esperança - Paraiba. The methodology was based on the obtainment and subsequent analysis of data on three variables: nutritional condition, blood pressure levels and frequency of sodium consumption. For anthropometric rating or assessment were measured weight (kg) and height (m). These measurements were performed in a standardized manner and classified as recommended by SISVAN (BMI percentiles according to gender and age). The PA of students was measured at two points with ten minutes interval, approximately. The average among the measurements represented the final measure used for blood pressure classification. The technique for the admeasurement of blood pressure measures followed the methodological recommendations of the Brazilian Cardiology Association. For classification used is the standard height tables to determine the percentile of height / age of each student and according as this percentile, blood pressure according to sex was classified, drawing on the 4th report of recommendation on the diagnosis, evaluation and treatment of hypertension in children and adolescents of the Control Center for Disease Prevention. For the analysis of the sodium intake frequency was applied to students with a specific food frequency questionnaire (FFQ) about the consumption of sodium rich foods, adapted according to socioeconomic and age of students. Regarding the results it was found frequency of 76.7% of the sample state of eutrophic, 16.5% were overweight and 6.8% underweight. Arterial pressure levels were normal for the majority of participants (59.2%), 28.2% were classified as limitrofe levels / pre hypertension and 12.6% with hypertension Stage I. It was noted also that 56.8% of adolescents showed a higher consumption than the total sodium sodium recommended. The results of this research confirms a global trend and suggest the need for specific population studies on the consumption of sodium, so that if they can devise interventions for young people, settling preventive and effective measures to prevent chronic diseases as frequent as hypertension in adulthood.