NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS: ANTHROPOMETRIC ASSESSMENT AMONG SCHOOLCHILDREN FROM ADVENTIST SCHOOLS

Resumen

Abstract: The aim of this study was to assess the nutritional status (NS) and anthropometric assessment data of children and adolescents aged 4 to 17 years, enrolled in Adventist schools located in the southern region of the city of São Paulo, Brazil. This exploratory, descriptive, cross-sectional, population-based study evaluated body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-height ratio (WtHR), and triceps skinfold thickness (TSF) in 9,649 schoolchildren, of whom 52% were female. Agreement among the different diagnostic methods ranged from 72% to 89%, and Kappa indices (κ) varied from moderate (κ = 0.45) to substantial (κ = 0.75). The prevalence of overweight (OVW) and obesity (OBE) assessed by BMI was 11% and 25%, respectively, while excessive adiposity (EA) and obesity assessed by TSF were 20% and 17%. The prevalence of abdominal obesity measured by WC was 31%, and the prevalence of cardiovascular risk related to abdominal obesity assessed by WtHR was 24%. Obesity prevalence was significantly higher among boys (p < 0.05), and prevalences did not differ significantly between Adventist and non-Adventist students, except at ages 5, 6, and 7 years according to BMI, at 10 years according to TSF, and at 6 years according to WtHR. These findings are comparable to those observed in the Brazilian pediatric population and reinforce that overweight, obesity, and central adiposity remain a major public health concern, demanding urgent administrative, educational, and preventive strategies aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles from childhood and adolescence.