OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of underweight, overweight and obesity in students of public schools from Sorocaba, São Paulo, Brazil. METHODS: This cross-sectional study enrolled 11,290 children aged seven to ten from public schools in the city of Sorocaba. Underweight, overweight and obesity were defined as, respectively, <5th, >85th and >95th body mass index percentiles for sex and age, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention growth chart (CDC, 2000). The prevalence of nutritional alterations was assessed according to the geographical localization. RESULTS: Rates for underweight, overweight and obesity were respectively: Central area 3.4, 17.2 and 15.1%; Southern area, 4.2, 15.4 and 11.2%; Eastern area, 3.2, 14.7 and 12.7%; Northeast, 4.3, 11.9 and 10.7%; North, 5.8, 12 and 9.1%; Northwest 7.5, 11 and 9.1%; and Western regions 6, 11 and 9.2%. The differences between areas were significant (p<0.001). Boys had 5.3, 12.1 and 11.9% of underweight, overweight and obesity, while girls presented the rates of 5.9, 12.3 and 8.2%. CONCLUSIONS: Central and Eastern regions of the city had the highest rates of children with overweight. The northwest and western regions presented the highest underweight rates. Boys have higher rates of obesity. These results should help to plan Public Health strategies to prevent obesity in schoolchildren
prevalence; nutritional status; overweight; obesity; students
