Abstract:
The few studies on health and nutrition in indigenous peoples in Northeast Brazil point to some differences with indigenous peoples in the North and Central of the country. This study estimated the prevalence rates and risk of overweight and excess weight in Xukuru children in the village of Ororubá, Pernambuco State, and assessed the socioeconomic and demographic factors potentially associated with these conditions. This cross-sectional study analyzed the associations between adequate weight, excess weight (overweight and obesity), and risk of overweight according to the indices and cutoff points of the World Health Organization for children and the explanatory variables, using multinomial logistic regression. Prevalence of excess weight was 7.7% and risk of overweight was 24.2%. The odds of risk of overweight and excess weight were higher in children < 2 years. Children of obese mothers showed higher odds of excess weight. Prevalence of risk of overweight was 97% higher when compared to households with fixed income. The findings suggest that the Xukuru are experiencing an accelerated nutritional transition, with a paradoxical situation to which other indigenous peoples in Brazil are also exposed.
Keywords:
Health of Indigenous Peoples; South American Indians; Nutritional Status; Pediatric Obesity