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Overweight and obesity in five- to ten-year-old children benefited from Bolsa Família Program in the State of Sergipe, Brazil

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of overweight and obesity in children benefited from Brazil's conditional cash transfer program (Bolsa Família Program - BFP), during the years 2008, 2009 and 2010, according to gender and health departments in the State of Sergipe, Northeast Brazil. METHODS: Descriptive epidemiological study, conducted with a secondary database of Datasus/Sisvan. The data from 79,795 children aged five to ten years old benefited from BFP in the State of Sergipe were retrieved: 20,338 children were benefitted in 2008 (9,848 females and 10,490 males), 27,106 in 2009 (13,092 females and 14,014 males) and 32,351 in 2010 (15,963 females and 16,388 males). The variables measured were body weight and height. The body mass index (BMI) was analyzed with Z scores of normative tables from Word Health Organization. RESULTS: The prevalence of overweight in females and males was respectively 12.2 and 12.4% in 2008; 13.2 and 13.2% in 2009; 13.1 and 13.3% in 2010. The prevalence of obesity for female and male children was respectively 11.0 and 13.5% in 2008; 11.9 and 15.1% in 2009; 11.2 and 14.5% in 2010. Overweight and obesity were more prevalent in children living in cities/towns with a lower Human Development Index. CONCLUSIONS: A national food policy is needed in order to provide education for those who benefit from BFP to improve the quality of their nutritional intake.

nutritional status; poverty; public policies; anthropometry; child health


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