Can the insulin sensitivity index (ISI) in association with insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 identify insulin resistance early in overweight children?

UNLABELLED: Association between insulin resistance (IR) and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has been reported. This prompted us to evaluate the power of the insulin sensitivity index (ISI) in association with IGFBP-1 to identify IR early in obese children/adolescents. OGTT was performed in 34 obese/overweight children/adolescents. Glucose, insulin and IGFBP-1 were measured in serum samples and ISI was calculated. Considering the presence of three or more risk factors for IR as a criterion for IR, ISI < 4.6 showed 87.5% sensitivity and 94.5% specificity in diagnosing IR. IGFBP-1 was lower in the group with ISI < 4.6 (p < 0.01). In this group, three patients had higher than expected IGFBP-1, suggesting hepatic IR, while three patients with ISI > 4.6 showed very low IGFBP-1 levels. CONCLUSION: ISI < 4.6 is a good indicator of early peripheral IR and, associated with IGFBP-1, can identify increased risk of hepatic IR. Low IGFBP-1 levels among non-IR children may indicate increased portal insulin levels.

Determinação dos valores de glicemia, insulinemia e índice (HOMA) em escolares e adolescentes eutróficos / Determination of glycemia and insulinemia and the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) in schoolchildren and adolescents with normal body mass index

OBJETIVO: Determinar, entre um grupo de crianças e adolescentes eutróficos, os valores de glicemia e insulinemia de jejum e de índice homeostasis model assessment (HOMA). MÉTODOS: Estudo de corte transversal realizado em duas escolas públicas de Ribeirão Preto (SP). Foram obtidas medidas antropométricas, dados pessoais e colhida amostra de sangue venoso de 447 crianças e adolescentes eutróficos, de ambos os sexos, com idades entre 7 e 17,9 anos, maturadores médios. Mediram-se glicemia de jejum e insulinemia de jejum e calculou-se o HOMA. Utilizando o teste de Mann-Whitney, foram realizadas comparações entre os valores obtidos para meninos e meninas em cada faixa etária. Posteriormente, utilizando o teste de Kruskal-Wallis, foram comparados os valores em cada faixa etária para meninos e meninas. RESULTADOS: Entre as meninas, os valores de glicemia apresentaram variação entre 7 a 8,9 anos (p = 0,0005). Para ambos os sexos, em relação à insulinemia, ocorreu variação de acordo com a idade (p < 0,001), com valores mais elevados na faixa de 13 a 14,9 anos. Os valores de HOMA apresentaram variação significativa de acordo com a idade (p < 0,001) para meninos e meninas, com valores crescentes até a faixa de 13 a 14,9 anos. CONCLUSÕES: Os dados apontam para a necessidade do estabelecimento de curvas de referência para os três indicadores.

OBJECTIVE: To determine fasting glycemia and insulinemia levels and the HOMA index in a group of children and adolescents with normal body mass index (BMI). METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at two public schools in Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. A total of 447 children and adolescents of both sexes, with normal BMI, aged 7 to 17.9 years and of average maturity for their age, underwent anthropometric measurements and provided personal data and a sample of venous blood so that glycemia, insulinemia and HOMA index could be determined. The results obtained for boys and girls were compared for each age range using the Mann-Whitney test. The results within each age band were then compared for boys and girls using the Kruskal-Wallis test. RESULTS: Glycemia results varied from 7 to 8.9 years (p = 0.0005). Fasting insulinemia varied significantly with age in both sexes (p < 0.001), with the highest values observed among children aged 13 to 14.9 years. HOMA indices varied significantly with age in both boys and girls (p < 0.001), with values that increased progressively up to the age band of 13 and 14.9 years. CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate the necessity of establishing reference curves for these three indicators.

Determination of glycemia and insulinemia and the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) in schoolchildren and adolescents with normal body mass index.

OBJECTIVE: To determine fasting glycemia and insulinemia levels and the HOMA index in a group of children and adolescents with normal body mass index (BMI). METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at two public schools in Ribeirão Preto, SP, Brazil. A total of 447 children and adolescents of both sexes, with normal BMI, aged 7 to 17.9 years and of average maturity for their age, underwent anthropometric measurements and provided personal data and a sample of venous blood so that glycemia, insulinemia and HOMA index could be determined. The results obtained for boys and girls were compared for each age range using the Mann-Whitney test. The results within each age band were then compared for boys and girls using the Kruskal-Wallis test. RESULTS: Glycemia results varied from 7 to 8.9 years (p = 0.0005). Fasting insulinemia varied significantly with age in both sexes (p < 0.001), with the highest values observed among children aged 13 to 14.9 years. HOMA indices varied significantly with age in both boys and girls (p < 0.001), with values that increased progressively up to the age band of 13 and 14.9 years. CONCLUSIONS: These data demonstrate the necessity of establishing reference curves for these three indicators.

Zinc serum levels and their association with vitamin A deficiency in preschool children.

OBJECTIVES: To identify the prevalence of zinc deficiency in a population with high prevalence of vitamin A deficiency; to verify whether zinc deficiency is associated with vitamin A deficiency in the population studied; to verify risk factors for zinc deficiency (sex, age, diarrhea and fever). METHOD: Cross-sectional study of 182 healthy children aged > or = 24 months and < 72 months. Peripheral blood samples were obtained from fasting children to determine zinc serum levels. Information about presence of diarrhea and/or fever during the 15 days preceding the study was also obtained. Vitamin A deficiency was identified by a serum 30-day dose-response test (+S30DR). RESULTS: Of the children studied, 0.5% (1/182) presented zinc serum levels < 65 microg/dL; however, 74.7% (136/182) of them had vitamin A deficiency. Zinc serum levels were not correlated with retinol serum levels. Zinc serum levels were not changed by previous diarrhea and/or fever. There was no difference in zinc levels between boys and girls. Children aged between > or = 48 and < 60 months tended to have lower zinc serum levels than children of other ages. CONCLUSION: Zinc deficiency prevalence was low and did not represent a risk factor for vitamin A deficiency. Children aged between > or = 48 and < 60 months tended to have lower zinc serum levels than children of other ages. Zinc serum levels were not changed by previous diarrhea and/or fever.

Nível sérico de zinco e sua associação com deficiência de vitamina A em crianças pré-escolares / Zinc serum levels and their association with vitamin A deficiency in preschool children

OBJETIVOS: Identificar a prevalência da deficiência de zinco em uma população com alta prevalência de deficiência de vitamina A; verificar se a deficiência de zinco apresenta associação com deficiência de vitamina A; verificar a influência de alguns fatores de risco (idade, sexo, diarréia e febre) na gênese da deficiência de zinco. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal com 182 crianças saudáveis com idades > 24 meses e < 72 meses. Obtiveram-se amostras de sangue periférico em jejum para dosagem dos níveis séricos de zinco. Também foram obtidas informações sobre a presença de diarréia e/ou febre nos 15 dias precedentes à pesquisa. A identificação da deficiência de vitamina A foi realizada através do teste de dose-resposta após 30 dias a uma suplementação com vitamina A -+S30DR. RESULTADOS: Das crianças estudadas, 0,5 por cento (1/182) apresentou nível sérico de zinco < 65 µg/dL; entretanto, 74,7 por cento (136/182) apresentavam deficiência de vitamina A. Não houve correlação entre os níveis séricos de zinco e os de retinol. Episódios febris e/ou diarréicos não alteraram os níveis de zinco. Não houve também diferença entre os níveis de zinco entre os sexos. As crianças com idade entre > 48 e < 60 meses de idade tenderam a apresentar menores níveis de zinco do que as demais faixas etárias. CONCLUSÃO: A prevalência de deficiência de zinco foi baixa e não representou fator de risco para deficiência de vitamina A. As crianças com idades entre > 48 e < 60 meses tenderam a apresentar menores médias de nível sérico de zinco do que as demais faixas etárias. Febre e/ou diarréia prévios ao estudo não alteraram os níveis séricos de zinco.

OBJECTIVES: To identify the prevalence of zinc deficiency in a population with high prevalence of vitamin A deficiency; to verify whether zinc deficiency is associated with vitamin A deficiency in the population studied; to verify risk factors for zinc deficiency (sex, age, diarrhea and fever). METHOD: Cross-sectional study of 182 healthy children aged > 24 months and < 72 months. Peripheral blood samples were obtained from fasting children to determine zinc serum levels. Information about presence of diarrhea and/or fever during the 15 days preceding the study was also obtained. Vitamin A deficiency was identified by a serum 30-day dose-response test. RESULTS:Of the children studied, 0.5 percent (1/182) presented zinc serum levels < 65 µg/dL; however, 74.7 percent (136/182) of them had vitamin A deficiency. Zinc serum levels were not correlated with retinol serum levels. Zinc serum levels were not changed by previous diarrhea and/or fever. There was no difference in zinc levels between boys and girls. Children aged between > 48 and < 60 months tended to have lower zinc serum levels than children of other ages. CONCLUSION: Zinc deficiency prevalence was low and did not represent a risk factor for vitamin A deficiency. Children aged between > 48 and < 60 months tended to have lower zinc serum levels than children of other ages. Zinc serum levels were not changed by previous diarrhea and/or fever.

Abdominal circumference as an indicator of clinical and laboratory parameters associated with obesity in children and adolescents: comparison between two reference tables.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of two pediatric abdominal circumference reference tables to detect abnormally high body mass index, total cholesterol, fasting blood insulin and leptin levels, and homeostasis model assessment values. METHODS: A total of 624 male and female subjects, with ages ranging from 7 to 18 years, were evaluated. All children were recruited from two public schools. Venous blood samples were collected for determination of fasting plasma insulin, glucose, leptin, and total cholesterol levels. Weight, height and abdominal circumference were assessed according to internationally accepted guidelines. Contingency tables were constructed, comparing the presence or absence of increased abdominal circumference, according to cutoff points established by Taylor et al. and Freedman et al., with the presence or absence of abnormal values in the laboratory tests. RESULTS: Sensitivity values were consistently higher for the table by Taylor et al., whereas the table by Freedman et al. showed greater specificity. Positive predictive values were quite low in general, and were only relevant for body mass index. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that the table by Taylor et al. is best for screening purposes, as it identifies individuals at higher risk of presenting abnormal test results. On the other hand, the reference table by Freedman et al. is more suitable for clinical practice, as it could be used to replace laboratory measurements, such as blood insulin or leptin levels, which may not be available at all sites.

Circunferência abdominal como indicador de parâmetros clínicos e laboratoriais ligados à obesidade infanto-juvenil: comparação entre duas referências / Abdominal circumference as an indicator of clinical and laboratory parameters associated with obesity in children and adolescents: comparison between two reference tables

OBJETIVO: Avaliar sensibilidade e especificidade de duas tabelas de referência para circunferência abdominal em crianças na detecção de valores elevados de índice de massa corporal, colesterol total, insulinemia de jejum, leptinemia de jejum e homeostasis model assessment. MÉTODOS: Foram avaliados 624 indivíduos, de ambos os sexos, com idades entre 7 e 18 anos, provenientes de duas escolas públicas, obtendo-se amostra de sangue venoso em jejum para dosagens de insulina, glicemia, leptina e colesterol total. Peso, estatura e circunferência abdominal foram aferidos de acordo com recomendações internacionais. Foram montadas tabelas de contingência em que se compararam, de um lado, a presença ou ausência de aumento na circunferência abdominal segundo os pontos de corte propostos de Taylor et al. e Freedman et al. e, de outro, presença ou ausência de valores alterados dos parâmetros avaliados. RESULTADOS: Os valores de sensibilidade foram sempre superiores para a tabela de Taylor et al., ao contrário da especificidade, sempre mais elevada para a tabela de Freedman et al. Os valores preditivos positivos foram, em geral, bastante baixos, mostrando-se relevantes apenas para o indicador índice de massa corpórea. CONCLUSÕES: Os resultados obtidos apontam para que se considere a referência de Taylor et al. melhor do ponto de vista da triagem, selecionando indivíduos com maior probabilidade de apresentarem as alterações estudadas; por outro lado, a referência de Freedman et al. mostrou-se mais adequada para uso clínico, sendo possível a sua utilização para substituir dosagens que possam não estar ao alcance do profissional, como insulinemia e leptinemia.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of two pediatric abdominal circumference reference tables to detect abnormally high body mass index, total cholesterol, fasting blood insulin and leptin levels, and homeostasis model assessment values. METHODS: A total of 624 male and female subjects, with ages ranging from 7 to 18 years, were evaluated. All children were recruited from two public schools. Venous blood samples were collected for determination of fasting plasma insulin, glucose, leptin, and total cholesterol levels. Weight, height and abdominal circumference were assessed according to internationally accepted guidelines. Contingency tables were constructed, comparing the presence or absence of increased abdominal circumference, according to cutoff points established by Taylor et al. and Freedman et al., with the presence or absence of abnormal values in the laboratory tests. RESULTS: Sensitivity values were consistently higher for the table by Taylor et al., whereas the table by Freedman et al. showed greater specificity. Positive predictive values were quite low in general, and were only relevant for body mass index. CONCLUSIONS: Results indicate that the table by Taylor et al. is best for screening purposes, as it identifies individuals at higher risk of presenting abnormal test results. On the other hand, the reference table by Freedman et al. is more suitable for clinical practice, as it could be used to replace laboratory measurements, such as blood insulin or leptin levels, which may not be available at all sites.

[Prevalence of iron deficiency and its association with vitamin A deficiency in preschool children]. / Prevalência da carência de ferro e sua associação com a deficiência de vitamina A em pré-escolares.

OBJECTIVES: To identify the prevalence of iron deficiency in the population studied, as well as verifying if such deprivation is associated with vitamin A deficiency. METHODS: One hundred seventy-nine children, > or = 24 months and < 72 months of age, with no diarrhea and/or fever at collection were studied. Vitamin A deficiency identification was carried out through serum 30-day dose-response test. Samples of peripheral blood from fasting children was obtained for hemoglobin counts, serum iron, and unsaturated iron binding capacity assays. Information about the presence of diarrhea and/or fever during the 15 days preceding the study was also obtained. RESULTS: 35.8% (64/179) of the children presented iron deficiency and 75.4% (135/179), vitamin A deficiency. 29.1% (52/179) of the children presented both iron and vitamin A deficiencies. Iron deficiency was not associated with vitamin A deficiency. A separate analysis for each hematimetric index also demonstrated no significant difference between children with or without vitamin A deficiency. Children aged 24 to 36 months presented significantly higher prevalence rates of iron deficiency (p = 0.0005) as did children with diarrhea and/or fever during the 15 days preceding the study (p = 0.003). CONCLUSIONS: Although iron deficiency was not associated with vitamin A deficiency, high rates of both deficiencies were exhibited in a "healthy" population with low malnutrition indices. Such situations are known as "hidden hunger". Younger children presented a higher risk of iron deficiency as did children with diarrhea and/or fever during the 15 days preceding the study.

Prevalência da carência de ferro e sua associação com a deficiência de vitamina A em pré-escolares / Prevalence of iron deficiency and its association with vitamin A deficiency in preschool children

OBJETIVO: Estimar a carência de ferro na população estudada e verificar se isso se associa à falta de vitamina A. MÉTODOS: Foram estudadas 179 crianças com idade > 24 meses e < 72 meses, sem diarréia e/ou febre no momento da coleta. A identificação da deficiência de vitamina A foi realizada através do teste de resposta sérica de 30 dias. Foram obtidas amostras de sangue periférico em jejum para dosagem dos níveis de hemoglobina, ferro sérico e capacidade latente de fixação de ferro, além de informação sobre a presença de diarréia ou febre nos 15 dias precedentes à pesquisa. RESULTADOS: 35,8 por cento (64/179) das crianças apresentaram carência de ferro; 75,4 por cento (135/179), deficiência de vitamina A; e 29,1 por cento (52/179) apresentaram carência de ferro e deficiência de vitamina A, concomitantemente. A carência de ferro não apresentou associação com a deficiência de vitamina A, nem tampouco com cada índice hematimétrico analisado separadamente. As crianças entre 24 e 36 meses de idade apresentaram significativamente maior prevalência da carência de ferro (p = 0,0005), como também as crianças com episódios febris ou diarréicos nos 15 dias precedentes à entrada no estudo (p = 0,003). CONCLUSÕES: Apesar de a carência de ferro não apresentar associação à deficiência de vitamina A, ambas as carências apresentaram prevalências elevadas em uma população saudável e com baixo índice de desnutrição. Tal situação é conhecida como fome oculta. As crianças mais jovens apresentaram maior risco de portar carência de ferro, como também as crianças com episódios febris ou diarréicos nos 15 dias precedentes à entrada no estudo.

Factors associated with iron deficiency anemia in Brazilian preschool children.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the determining factors of anemia and iron deficiency in children attending two day care centers in the town of Pontal, southeast of Brazil. METHODS: Cross-sectional study was conducted in 192 children aged 12 to 72 months. Personal data (age, sex, use of medicinal iron supplements, duration of breast-feeding, type of delivery, prenatal care, weight, and height), and socioeconomic data (number of co-inhabitants, parental schooling, and per capita family income) were obtained and evaluated together with hemoglobin, serum transferrin receptor, ferritin, and iron deficiency anemia. RESULTS: Age was the variable that most affected iron nutritional status, with higher hemoglobin values, lower transferrin receptor concentrations, higher ferritin values and lower iron deficiency anemia being detected with increasing age. The other studied variables did not show any correlation with iron nutritional status. CONCLUSION: The obtained data suggest that control strategies for this preschool population should be especially directed at younger children.

Factors associated with iron deficiency anemia in Brazilian preschool children

OBJETIVO: Avaliar fatores determinantes de anemia e deficiência de ferro em crianças de duas creches da cidade de Pontal, sudeste do Brasil. MÉTODOS: Estudo transversal foi realizado avaliando-se 192 crianças com idades entre 12 e 72 meses. Dados pessoais (idade, sexo, uso de ferro medicamentoso, duração do aleitamento materno, tipo de parto, cuidados pré-natais, peso e estatura) e dados socioeconômicos (número de co-habitantes, escolaridade dos pais e renda per capita familiar) foram obtidos e correlacionados com hemoglobina, receptores de transferrina, ferritina e anemia ferropriva. RESULTADOS: A idade foi a variável mais afetada pelo estado nutricional de ferro, correlacionando-se com maiores valores de hemoglobina e ferritina e menores valores de receptor de transferrina, sendo que menos anemia ferropriva foi detectada quanto maior a idade. As outras variáveis estudadas não apresentaram correlação com o estado nutricional de ferro. CONCLUSAO: Os dados sugerem que as estratégias de controle para essa população de crianças pré-escolares devem ser direcionadas especialmente para aquelas de menor idade.

[Assessment of mid-upper arm circumference as a method for obesity screening in preschool children]. / Avaliação da medida do perímetro braquial como metodologia de triagem de crianças pré-escolares obesas.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate if mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) can be used for obesity screening in preschool children. METHODS: 1,090 children aged from 12 to 59.99 months were studied. Personal information, weight, height and MUAC were obtained. Sensitivity and specificity to detect obese children were calculated for MUAC to age and MUAC to height z scores. Obesity was defined as weight to height z score >2. RESULTS: 6.6% of the children had a weight to height z score >2. The best association between sensitivity (76.5%) and specificity (77.9%) to detect obese children for MUAC to age was obtained with a z score of 0.7. In terms of MUAC to height, the best association between sensitivity (79.4%) and specificity (77.6%) to detect obese children was obtained with a 0.6 score. CONCLUSIONS: MUAC to height z score was not advantageous for obesity screening when compared to MUAC to age z score. MUAC to age z score seems to be an adequate alternative method for obesity screening in preschool children.

Avaliaçäo da medida do perímetro braquial como metodologia de triagem de crianças pré-escolares obesas / Assessment of mid-upper arm circumference as a method for obesity screening in preschool children

OBJETIVOS: O presente estudo visou a avaliar se o perímetro braquial poderia ser utilizado para a triagem de crianças obesas na idade pré-escolar. MÉTODOS: 1.090 crianças com idades entre 12 e 59,99 meses foram estudadas, obtendo-se informaçöes pessoais, além de peso, estatura e perímetro braquial. Foram obtidas as sensibilidades e especificidades de diferentes escores z de perímetro braquial para idade e perímetro braquial para estatura, para a detecçäo de crianças obesas, definidas como aquelas que apresentaram escore z de peso para estatura acima de 2. RESULTADOS: Das 1.090 crianças avaliadas, 6,6 por cento apresentaram escore z de peso para estatura acima de 2. O escore z de 0,7 do indicador perímetro braquial para idade determina a melhor associaçäo entre sensibilidade (76,5 por cento) e especificidade (77,9 por cento), para a detecçäo das crianças obesas. O escore z de 0,6 do indicador perímetro braquial para estatura determina a melhor associaçäo entre sensibilidade (79,4 por cento) e especificidade (77,6 por cento) para a detecçäo das crianças obesas. CONCLUSÖES: Näo se observou vantagem do uso do perímetro braquial relacionado à estatura quando comparado à sua relaçäo com a idade. Dessa forma, propöem-se pontos de corte, utilizando-se apenas o indicador perímetro braquial para idade que, pela sua facilidade e rapidez de obtençäo em populaçöes, é um método alternativo viável para triagem de crianças pré-escolares portadoras de obesidade

Serum insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I and IGF-binding protein-3 in girls with premature thelarche.

Premature thelarche (PT) is characterised by precocious breast development without any other sign of puberty, normal height velocity (HV) and normal bone maturation, while girls with central precocious puberty (CPP) show increased HV, bone maturation and increased serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 levels. This prompted us to study serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 concentrations in girls with PT. Thirty-nine girls with premature breast development were studied and classified as PT or CPP according to clinical and laboratory evaluation. Normal prepubertal and pubertal girls were studied as controls. Serum IGF-I and IGFBP-3 were determined in all girls by IRMA. IGF-I levels in PT (155 +/- 61 microg/l) were lower than in CPP (337 +/- 149 microg/l) or late-pubertal controls (355 +/- 84 microg/l) and similar to those found in prepubertal (113 +/- 72 microg/l) and early-pubertal (222 +/- 81 microg/l) girls. Considering the SDS of IGF-I for chronological age (CA), the values observed in PT were in an intermediate position between CPP and prepubertal controls and statistically similar to those observed in CPP and prepubertal girls. IGFBP-3 levels in PT (2.1 +/- 0.5 mg/l) were similar to those found in CPP (2.5 +/- 0.8 mg/l), but only the latter were higher than in prepubertal girls (1.9 +/- 0.9 mg/l). IGF-I/IGFBP-3 molar ratios in PT were in an intermediate position between CPP and prepubertal controls. In conclusion, IGF-I and IGF-I/IGFBP-3 values in PT are intermediate between those observed in prepubertal children and in CPP, suggesting that PT could be a very early stage of puberty with slight but real changes in the GH-IGF axis.

Growth and hematological studies on Brazilian children of low socioeconomic level

Anemia and undernutrition are common all over the world, especially in less developed countries. The relationship between low weight, short stature and iron deficiency should be better understood so that appropriate measures might be taken to prevent these problems. A total of 115 institutionalized children aged 12 to 72 months were studied in day-care institutions in the town of Pontal, Southeastern Brazil, during the second semester of 1999. Personal data, weight, height and hematological profile were obtained from all subjects. Food intake was evaluated in 20 children by a direct food-weighing method. The prevalence of low weight for age (2.6), low weight for height (1.7) and low height for age (4.3) was considered low. Anemia was observed in 68.7 of the children. Diet was found to be adequate in terms of the major nutrients evaluated, but food iron supply was of low bioavailability. In conclusion, the population studied revealed a peculiar behavior i.e., the coexistence of fairly good anthropometric nutritional status along with iron-deficiency anemia. The prevention of this kind of malnutrition cannot be limited to an adequate calorie/protein supply but should also be based on the correction of the severe iron deficiency present in this low socioeconomic level preschool children in Brazil.

Growth of exclusively breast-fed infants from a poor urban population

The growth of two groups of infants were evaluated, one of them exclusively breast-fed (105 infants) and the other exclusively bottle-fed (61 infants), and compared with one another and with international standards (NCHS). All infants were evaluated by anthropometry at 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6 months of age. A fourth order polynomial was adopted for each infant and for each anthropometric measurement in order to estimate individual growth, and the 5th, 50th and 95th percentiles for weight and length were obtained. For the age of 6 months, the weights of breast-fed boys and girls were always statistically equal to or higher than those of infants fed cow's milk or those of NCHS standards. Breast-fed boys presented significantly longer length than bottle-fed boys but shorter than NCHS standards, and breast-fed girls presented significantly shorter length than both bottle-fed girls and than NCHS standards. The greater weight of exclusively breast-fed infants when compared to NCHS standards at six months of age, which differentiates the present study from several other ones carried out in developing countries, was probably due to the association of the beneficial effects of breast-feeding with those of pediatric follow-up.

Avaliaçäo do uso do percentil 10 de peso para idade como ponto de corte para detecçäo de crianças sob risco nutricional / Evaluation of the use of the 10§ percentile of weight for age as a cut off point for detection of children under nutritional risk

Objetivo: Avaliar o uso do percentil 10 de peso para idade como ponto de corte para detecçäo de crianças sob risco nutricional, especialmente para programas de suplementaçäo alimentar. Métodos: Foram estudadas 841 crianças com idade entre 10 dias e 60 meses, em uma Unidade Básica de Saúde da periferia de Ribeiräo Preto, SP, Brasil, de forma transversal, obtendo-se idade, sexo, peso e estatura e, posteriormente, os escores z das correlaçöes peso para idade, estatura para idade e peso para estatura, com base nos dados do NCHS. Através de tabelas do tipo 2X2, em que foram comparados os resultados em relaçäo ao percentil 10 (acima ou abaixo desse ponto de corte) e os outros índices(acima ou abaixo de -2 escores z), estimou-se a capacidade do percentil 10 de peso para idade em detectar as crianças com os diferentes déficits antropométricos. Resultados: Os resultados Falsos Negativos foram sempre bastante baixos, variando entre 0 e 1 por cento, ao contrário dos Falsos Positivos que variaram entre 76,3 e 90,5 por cento. Os valores de Sensibilidade/Especificidade foram 100/85,9 por cento; 93,3/83,8 por cento; 82,9/85,7 por cento, respectivamente para os déficits de peso para idade, peso para estatura e estatura para idade. Conclusöes: O percentil 10 de peso para idade mostrou-se adequado para triagem populacional de crianças com déficits do peso para a idade e do peso para a estatura (sensiblidade altas), desde que estas crianças sejam posteriormente melhor avaliadas (muitos falso positivos). Para os déficits de estatura para idade, mostrou-se inadequado

Determinação da influência da escolaridade dos pais no estado nutricional de crianças / Determination of the influence of the parents' educational level on the nutritional status of children

A desnutriçäo protéico-calórica da criança é uma doença de origem multifatorial e trabalhos realizados em outros países mostram que a baixa escolaridade dos pais é um dos fatores possivelmente implicados na sua gênese e perpetuaçäo. O objetivo do trabalho foi avaliar a influência da escolaridade dos pais sobre o estado nutricional dos filhos. Em um corte transversal, foram estudadas 841 crianças com idades entre dez dias e cinco anos, em um bairro da periferia de Ribeiräo Preto, Säo Paulo, Brasil, realizando-se a avaliaçäo do estado nutricional pelo método de Gomez e avaliando-se o grau de escolaridade dos pais. Para a análise estatística se utilizou o método de quiquadrado com alfa de 5 porcento. Tanto a baixa escolaridade do pai como da mäe se relacionaram à subnutriçäo do filho. Com base nessa resultado, procura-se discutir a importância das medidas de promoçäo social para prevenir a desnutriçäo infantil

Tabagismo passivo em lactentes / Passive smoking in early life

O trabalho visou avaliar a prevalencia do tabagismo passivo entre as criancas de zero a seis meses de idade que frequentaram o Programa de Puericultura do CSE D. Pedro I no periodo entre 01 de julho de 1997 e 31 de dezembro de 1997. Foi realizado um levantamento retrospectivo das...

Avaliacao do estado nutricional com enfase a antropometria / Nutritional assessment with emphasis to anthropometry

Os autores fazem uma revisao bibliografica sobre a avaliacao do estado nutricional de criancas. Primeiramente situam o problema da desnutricao infantil no mundo e no Brasil, destacando seus efeitos sobre o individuo e sobre a sociedade. Em seguida, discutem os metodos de avaliacao nutricional em conjunto, separando-os em indiretos (estatisticas de saude) e diretos (laboratorial, clinico e antropometrico). Por fim, realizam um estudo detalhado da avaliacao nutricional por antropometria, discutindo diferentes metodos antropometricos, valores de referencia, pontos de corte e curvas de crescimento