[Prevalence of overweight and obesity and associated factors among schoolchildren in a southern Brazilian city]. / Prevalência e fatores associados para sobrepeso e obesidade em escolares de uma cidade no Sul do Brasil.

This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity in a group of 11-13-year-old schoolchildren in Capão da Canoa, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, and to investigate the association with possible risk factors for excess body weight. The sample was stratified, proportional to the number of pupils in each school. Nutritional status was assessed by body mass index (BMI) cutoffs according to age and gender as proposed by Cole et al. (2000). Socioeconomic, demographic, genetic, and behavior variables were analyzed. 719 children from 11 schools were interviewed, of whom there were 541 (75.2%) with normal BMI, 153 (21.3%) with overweight, and 25 (3.5%) with obesity. Statistically significant associations were found with type of school, parents' nutritional status, level of physical activity, and time of sedentary behavior. Prevalence of overweight and obesity in these schoolchildren was high (24.8%), in keeping with the literature, confirming the problem's magnitude and severity in Brazil.

Prevalência e fatores associados para sobrepeso e obesidade em escolares de uma cidade no Sul do Brasil / Prevalence of overweight and obesity and associated factors among schoolchildren in a southern Brazilian city

Foi realizado um estudo transversal com o objetivo de determinar a prevalência de sobrepeso e obesidade e os fatores associados ao excesso de peso corporal, em um grupo de escolares de 11 a 13 anos, residentes em Capão da Canoa, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. A técnica de amostragem utilizada foi estratificada, proporcional ao número de alunos de cada escola. O estado nutricional foi avaliado mediante os pontos de corte do índice de massa corporal (IMC) de acordo com a idade e o sexo, propostos por Cole et al. no ano 2000. Foram analisadas variáveis sócio-econômicas, demográficas, genéticas e comportamentais. Foram entrevistados 719 escolares em 11 escolas, destes, 541 (75,2 por cento) apresentaram IMC considerado normal, 153 (21,3 por cento) escolares apresentaram sobrepeso e 25 (3,5 por cento) obesidade. Encontrou-se associação estatisticamente significativa com tipo de escola, estado nutricional dos pais, nível de atividade física e tempo de conduta sedentária. A prevalência de sobrepeso e obesidade encontrada nos escolares avaliados mostrou-se elevada (24,8 por cento), e, de acordo com a encontrada na literatura, confirmando a magnitude e gravidade que o problema assumiu entre os escolares de todo o Brasil.

This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity in a group of 11-13-year-old schoolchildren in Capão da Canoa, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, and to investigate the association with possible risk factors for excess body weight. The sample was stratified, proportional to the number of pupils in each school. Nutritional status was assessed by body mass index (BMI) cutoffs according to age and gender as proposed by Cole et al. (2000). Socioeconomic, demographic, genetic, and behavior variables were analyzed. 719 children from 11 schools were interviewed, of whom there were 541 (75.2 percent) with normal BMI, 153 (21.3 percent) with overweight, and 25 (3.5 percent) with obesity. Statistically significant associations were found with type of school, parents' nutritional status, level of physical activity, and time of sedentary behavior. Prevalence of overweight and obesity in these schoolchildren was high (24.8 percent), in keeping with the literature, confirming the problem's magnitude and severity in Brazil.