OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the nutritional status of pupils from public schools of two cities in the western part of the state of Parana according to socioeconomic status and race. METHODS: 1,443 children (aged 6 - 11 years) of both genders, classified as white or black and with different socioeconomic status were evaluated by weight, height and body mass index, transformed into the z score. A descriptive analysis of the data was performed, and the chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, variance analysis and linear regression with significance of 5% were used. RESULTS: In the low socioeconomic status black pupils were predominant. Black boys presented lower values in weight and height in relation to white boys. When values of the z score lower than -2 were considered, white girls predominated in weight and height and black boys in height. No significant difference was found in values above +2. Low interaction of socioeconomic status and age was observed to predict weight, as well as for socioeconomic status, age and color of the skin, for height. CONCLUSION: Despite socioeconomic and racial differences found, there was no important variation of the nutritional status in the group of schoolchildren evaluated.
Nutrition assessment; Ethnology; Socioeconomic factors; School health
