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Prevalence and factors associated with overweight among Brazilian children younger than 2 years
Monize Cocetti1, José Augusto de A C Taddei, Tulio Konstantyner
1Disciplina de Pediatria, Universidade Federal de São Paulo, São Paulo, SP, Brazil. mcocetti@uol.com.br
Insights
Overweight in Brazilian children under two years old decreased between 1989 and 2006. Key risk factors for infant overweight include higher birth weight and income, particularly in the midwestern region.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Public Health
- Nutritional Epidemiology
Background:
- Childhood overweight is a growing global concern with significant long-term health implications.
- Understanding the prevalence and risk factors for overweight in young children is crucial for developing effective prevention strategies.
- Previous data from Brazil indicated varying trends in childhood overweight, necessitating updated analysis.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence of overweight in Brazilian children under two years old using 2006 data.
- To analyze the trend of overweight prevalence from 1989 to 2006 in this age group.
- To identify demographic and socioeconomic factors associated with overweight in young Brazilian children.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the 2006 National Demography and Health Survey (PNDS 2006) in Brazil.
- Included 1,735 children aged 0-24 months, with nutritional status assessed via weight-for-height (W/H) index.
- Defined overweight as a W/H z-score greater than +2, following WHO (2006) criteria.
Main Results:
- The overall prevalence of overweight among children under two years in Brazil was 6.54% in 2006.
- Higher prevalence was observed in the southern (10.0%) and midwestern (11.1%) regions.
- Significant risk factors for overweight included birth weight ≥ 3 kg (OR=5.2), per capita income ≥ 1 minimum wage (OR=2.50), and residence in the midwestern region (OR=2.40).
Conclusions:
- Overweight prevalence in Brazilian children under two years showed a decreasing trend from 1989 to 2006.
- Targeted interventions are recommended for infants in the midwestern region with high birth weight and families earning above the minimum wage.
- These findings highlight the need for continued monitoring and preventive measures against childhood obesity in Brazil.
Objective:
To describe the prevalence of overweight, analyze its progression from 1989 to 2006 and identify factors associated with it among children younger than two years in Brazil.
Methods:
Data for the Women and Children National Demography and Health Survey (PNDS 2006) were collected using questionnaires and anthropometric measurements. The study sample included 1,735 children aged 0 to 24 months (910 boys; 825 girls). Nutritional status was defined according to the weight-for-height index (W/H; WHO, 2006), and children were classified as overweight if their W/H z score was greater than +2.
Results:
Prevalence of overweight in Brazil was 6.54%. The highest prevalence of overweight was found in the southern (10.0%) and midwestern (11.1%) regions, among families with a per capita income higher than one minimum wage (11.8%), in social classes with a greater purchasing power (9.7%), among children whose birth weight was greater than 3 kg (8.04%) and whose exclusive breastfeeding lasted less than five months (7.4%). According to a fitted multiple logistic regression model, factors associated with overweight were: birth weight ≥ 3 kg [odds ratio (OR) = 5.2, 95% confidence interval (95%CI) 2.56-10.56], per capita income ≥ 1 minimum wage (OR = 2.50, 95%CI 1.20-5.21), residence in midwestern region (OR = 2.40, 95%CI 1.01-5.72).
Conclusions:
The comparison of the prevalence found in the 2006 survey with the 1989 and 1996 values revealed that overweight among children younger than two years tends to decrease. The risk factors identified suggest that further actions should be conducted to prevent obesity among infants living in the midwestern region of Brazil, whose birth weight was greater than 3 kg and whose families had a per capita income higher than one minimum wage.
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