PREVALÊNCIA E FATORES ASSOCIADOS AO EXCESSO DE PESO CORPORAL EM CRIANÇAS DE SÃO LUÍS, MARANHÃO.

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Obesity is a multifactorial condition determined by the interaction between environment, genetic predisposition and human behavior. In the last decades its prevalence has increased significantly in all the age groups. OBJECTIVE: To identify the factors associated with excess body weight (EBW) in children aged between 9 and 10 years of the public and private network in the city of São Luís, Maranhão. METHODS: A cross-sectional study with a sample of 256 students who were individually interviewed to complete the questionnaires on: family socioeconomic status (Brazil criterion), food consumption (QUADA), level of physical activity the day before the interview (QUAFDA), physical activity level of the seven days prior to the interview (PAQ-c), sedentary behavior (screen time questionnaire) and sexual maturation (Tanner stages). Anthropometry was performed (body mass, stature, waist circumference, triceps and subscapular skinfolds) and EBW was determined by body mass index. Genotyping of the rs9939609 polymorphism of the FTO gene was performed by PCR (polymerase chain reaction) in real time. Data analysis was descriptive (mean and standard deviation), bivariate (chi-square test) and multivariate (Poisson regression with robust fit). The outcome was the EBW and the explanatory variables were related to biological, genetic, educational, economic, food consumption and behavioral characteristics. RESULTS: 53.9% of the sample was female; 59.8% eutrophic; 52.3% studied in the 4th year and in the evening shift; 69.1% in the public network and 56.2% belonged to the lower economic strata (C, DE). In relation to biological maturation, 48.8% of them were in the initial pubertal phase and only 6 girls (4.4%) menstruated. Regarding food, 78.5% consumed 5 to 6 meals/day and 79.7% presented adequate consumption. However, 59% consumed soda, 53.9% sweet and only 30.9% consumed vegetables and 38.7% of legumes. The level of physical activity was considered intermediate (58.6%) in the week prior to the interview and low (75.8%) the previous day. The displacement to school was passive to 79.3%. The screen time was high (> 2h / day) for 71.1% of the children. The prevalence of EBW was high (38.3%) and was associated with sexual maturation, economic stratum and gender (p < 0.05). Schoolchildren who were at puberty had 1.46 (CI 1.05-2.04) times more chance of having EBW compared to prepubescent. Children in the socioeconomic strata A and B had 39% (RR = 1.39, CI 1.02-1.98) a higher chance of presenting EBW compared to those in class C, D, and E. The boys had 46% (RP = 1.46, CI 1.07-2.02) a higher chance of presenting EBW in comparison to the girls. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of excess body weight was high, with a higher risk for schoolchildren at puberty, belonging to the larger socioeconomic strata and the male gender.