Nutritional status determinants in adolescents from public schools of Piracicaba (SP-Brazil)

Author(s)

Stela Verzinhasse Peres

• Document type: Master's Dissertation
• Press: São Paulo.
• Institution: Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Faculdade de Saúde Pública (FSP/CIR)
• Defense date: 2007-09-06

Examining board members

Maria do Rosario Dias de Oliveira Latorre; Maria Ignez Saito; Ivani Credidio Trombetta

• Advisor: Maria do Rosario Dias de Oliveira Latorre

Abstract

Background - The overweight and obesity are occurring in developed as in developing countries. It can coexist with the undernutrition, mainly, in the lower social class. Objective – To estimate the prevalences of undernutrition, overweight and obesity, according to sex and age, and to determine demographics, of lifestyle characteristics and dietary intake associated to nutritional status in adolescents aged 10 to 14,9 years who were attending a public school in Piracicaba (SP - Brazil). Material and Methods - This was a cross-sectional study. The sample was composed by 269 adolescents of both sex (118 boys and 151 girls). Demographic and anthropometric data, dietary habits, sexual maturation, physical activity, physical inactivity were collected using questionnaires. The statistical analyses were done using chi-square test and univariate and multiple multinomial regression models. Results - The prevalences of undernutrition on boys was 5,1% and on girls was 4.0%. Prevalence of overweight in boys and girls were 15.3% and 13.2%, respectively. The prevalence of obesity was 18.6% in boys and 11,9% in girls. The undernutrition was associated with age on boys (respectively, 14,3% x 0,0%; p= 0,028). The undernutrition was associated with pubertal status (OR= 10,20; p=0,005) and hours of television watching (OR= 6,13; p= 0,019) among girls. The factors associated with obesity was energy intake in boys (ORadjusted=6,74; p= 0,013) and hours of television watching in girls (ORadjusted=5,39; p= 0,006). Conclusions - The prevalence of undernutrition are low and the prevalences of overweight and obesity were high in adolescents; demonstrating the process of nutrition transition in Piracicaba. The results showed that undernutrition determinants are age, on boys and pubertal status and hours of television watching, on girls. The obesity determinants were energy intake among boys and hours of television watching among girls. These findings indicate that the preventive intervention programmes should emphasize the healthy practices. (AU)