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Determinants of overweight in children under 4 years of age

Gilmar M de Jesus1, Graciete O Vieira, Tatiana O Vieira

  • 1Universidade Estadual de Feira de Santana, Feira de Santana, BA, Brazil. gilmj@yahoo.com.br

Jornal De Pediatria
|August 17, 2010
PubMed

Insights

Overweight affects 12.5% of young children in Feira de Santana, Brazil. Factors like adequate birth weight, primiparity, and maternal employment are linked to this increased risk.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health
  • Nutritional Epidemiology

Background:

  • Childhood overweight is a growing global concern.
  • Understanding local prevalence and risk factors is crucial for targeted interventions.
  • Feira de Santana, Brazil, presents a unique demographic context for this study.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of overweight in children under four years old in Feira de Santana, Bahia, Brazil.
  • To identify sociodemographic, maternal, and infant factors associated with childhood overweight.
  • To provide data for public health strategies addressing pediatric obesity.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study was conducted within a birth cohort of 793 children.
  • Nutritional status was assessed using weight-for-height ratios compared to WHO standards (Z-scores).
  • Data on infant characteristics, socioeconomic factors, maternal reproductive history, and infant diet were collected.

Main Results:

  • The prevalence of overweight among children under four was 12.5%.
  • Significant associations with overweight included adequate birth weight (RR 2.75), primiparity (RR 1.61), and maternal employment outside the home at 4 months postpartum (RR 1.73).

Conclusions:

  • Adequate birth weight, first-time mothers (primiparity), and mothers employed outside the home are risk factors for overweight in young children in this region.
  • The observed overweight prevalence exceeds national rates, indicating a potential risk for childhood obesity in Feira de Santana.
  • Findings highlight the need for early nutritional guidance and support for mothers.
Abstract

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