OBJECTIVE: To identify the consumer behavior of a small sample of students (pilot study), regarding their eating habits and influence of television. METHODS: This is a pilot study with 57 students aging from 7 to 10 years attending the elementary grades of a private school located in Florianópolis (SC). A questionnaire developed specifically for this research was used and anthropometric assessment was done. The data were analyzed using association tests (Pearson´s chi-square test -c2) and analysis of variance. The differences were considered significant when p<0.05. RESULTS: All students had television sets at home; 75.0% in their own bedrooms. Most of them snacked while watching television (98.0%) or ate their meals with the television on (89.5%). Weekly intakes of fruit and vegetables were way below the ideal quantities proposed by the food pyramid. Students classified as frequent viewers (4 or more times a day) ate fewer vegetables than did the moderate ones. Anthropometric evaluation indicated that 23.6% were overweight/obese and 9.1% presented central adiposity. CONCLUSION: Results suggest that strategies must be employed, such as parent's counseling and development of school programs, in order to prevent possible health problems in the studied population.
Children; Behavior; Nutritional status; Eating habits; Television
