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Overweight and associated factors in children from northeastern Brazil

Marcella A Moreira1, Poliana C Cabral, Haroldo S Ferreira

  • 1Universidade Federal de Pernambuco (UFPE), Recife, PE, Brazil. cellinhamoreira@gmail.com

Jornal De Pediatria
|August 24, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Overweight affects 28.5% of young children in Alagoas, linked to maternal central obesity and short breastfeeding duration. Breastfeeding may protect against childhood overweight.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatrics
  • Public Health
  • Nutrition

Background:

  • Childhood overweight is a growing global concern.
  • Identifying associated factors is crucial for effective prevention strategies.
  • The semiarid region of Alagoas presents unique socioeconomic and environmental challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of overweight in children under 5 years old.
  • To investigate associations between childhood overweight and maternal/biological factors.
  • To explore socioeconomic influences on overweight in a specific Brazilian region.

Main Methods:

  • Cross-sectional study with a representative sample of 963 children.
  • Defined overweight using weight-for-height z-scores (≥1) for children.
  • Logistic regression analysis identified significant predictors of overweight.

Main Results:

  • Prevalence of overweight in children was 28.5%.
  • Maternal central obesity (OR=1.46) and non-exclusive breastfeeding <6 months (OR=1.82) were significant risk factors.
  • No significant association found with maternal smoking or child's sex.

Conclusions:

  • High childhood overweight prevalence in the study area.
  • Maternal central obesity and insufficient breastfeeding duration are key associated factors.
  • Promoting breastfeeding and addressing maternal obesity are vital for prevention.
Abstract

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