PREVALÊNCIA DE OBESIDADE E FATORES ASSOCIADOS EM CRIANÇAS MENORES DE CINCO ANOS NO BRASIL

Abstract

Objectives: to determine the prevalence of overweight among under-five-year-old children in Brazil and investigate its associations with sociodemographic characteristics, exclusive breastfeeding, number of siblings and birth weight. Methods: cross sectional population based study, conducted in the five geopolitical regions of Brazil, with a sample of 6,397 children. The nutritional classification was done using the 2006 WHO growth curves. Were considered overweight the children with a z-score higher than two standard deviations above the weight for height median. Results: the prevalence of overweight among under-five-year-old children in Brazil was 12%. The outcome was 22% higher in males (RP=1,22; IC95% 1,02-1,47; p=0,030). There was a linear inverse association: the younger the child, the higher the prevalence of overweight (p=0,032). The white children had a prevalence of overweight 22% higher than the non-white ones. The higher the birth weight, the higher the prevalences of overweight (p=0,000). Children who were breastfed up to 120 days had a prevalence of overweight 34% higher compared to the ones who were breastfed for more than 120 days. Conclusions: the prevalence of overweight was higher in males, in under-one-year-old, white, with a birth weight of less than 3,500 grams, exclusively breastfed up to 120 days children