Abstract
The objective of this study was to identify and describe the growth and nutritional anthropometric profile of children enrolled in the Sesc National Network of Elementary Education. It is a cross-sectional study conducted among 20,113 students (9,992 girls) from 83 schools aged from 3 to 17. Nutritional status was determined using the body mass index for age and stature for age according to the WHO criteria. Stunting was observed in only 1.6% (girls) and 1.3% (boys). Overweight + obesity was observed in 29.7% of the schoolchildren (27.6% of girls and 32.3% of boys). In the < 5y schoolchildren, BMI was equal to 12.3% (10.9% of girls and 13.2% of boys). In the 5-10y group, the prevalence was 35.3% in girls and 40.1% in boys (37.8% in all). In the 10y+ group, there were 32.5% (girls) and 43.0% (boys), 37.4% overall. The identified prevalences of BMI in all age groups were high and the problem worsens in older children and in boys. These findings corroborate the reported situation in national and international studies and reinforce the need for monitoring and intervening in the nutritional status of schoolchildren.
Obesity; Nutritional status; Preschool; Children; Adolescents
