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Prevalence and determinants of overweight in preschool children

Risia Cristina Egito Menezes1, Pedro Israel Cabral Lira, Juliana Souza Oliveira

  • 1Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, PE, Brazil. risiamenezes@yahoo.com.br

Jornal De Pediatria
|May 14, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Overweight affects 8.1% of Brazilian preschoolers, being more common in urban areas and among children from higher socioeconomic backgrounds. Maternal education and household goods ownership are key factors.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health
  • Nutritional Epidemiology

Background:

  • Childhood overweight is a growing global concern.
  • Understanding its determinants in diverse populations is crucial for effective interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of overweight among preschoolers in Pernambuco, Brazil.
  • To investigate associations between overweight and socioeconomic, environmental, and maternal factors.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study involving 954 preschoolers in Pernambuco, Brazil (2006).
  • Hierarchical multiple logistic regression analysis was used to identify determinants of overweight.
  • Odds ratios were calculated for various independent variables.

Main Results:

  • The prevalence of overweight was 8.1% overall and 9.7% in urban areas.
  • Higher prevalence was observed in children from families with better socioeconomic conditions, including higher income, education, and access to goods.
  • Maternal educational achievement, household goods ownership, and maternal body mass index were significant predictors of child overweight.

Conclusions:

  • Overweight is more prevalent than malnutrition in Brazilian preschoolers.
  • Socioeconomic privilege is associated with a higher prevalence of overweight in this population.
  • Maternal education and socioeconomic status are key factors influencing childhood overweight.
Abstract

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