[Cardiovascular risk and associated factors in schoolchildren in Belém, Pará State, Brazil]

This cross-sectional study aimed to identify risk factors for cardiovascular disease in a stratified cluster sample of 557 schoolchildren (6-19 years) in Belém, Pará State, Brazil. Potential risk factors were obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes, smoking, physical inactivity, and atherogenic diet. Socio-demographic and lifestyle variables were tested in a binary logistic regression model. The most prevalent risk factors were overweight (20.4%), dyslipidemia (48.1%), and physical inactivity (66.2%). Children below ten years of age and those from higher-income families and with higher maternal schooling showed greater odds of developing overweight; meanwhile, those with overweight were more prone to developing hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia. The findings point to the need to implement strategies to prevent overweight in early childhood, through balanced nutrition and regular physical activity, in order to effectively reduce the prevalence of risk factors in schoolchildren.