Excess weight in preschool children: The role of food intake

• Autor(a) principal: Lima dos SANTOS, Dayse Rafaele
• Data de Publicação: 2023
• Outros Autores: Israel Cabral de LIRA, Pedro, Alves Pontes da SILVA, Giselia
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Revista de Nutrição
• Texto Completo: https://periodicos.puc-campinas.edu.br/nutricao/article/view/7829
• topic: Child, preschool; Food consumption; Obesity; Overweight; Pré-escolar; Consumo alimentar; Obesidade; Sobrepeso

ObjectiveThe study aimed to compare the food intake of overweight/obese and normal weight preschoolers and to verify whether excess weight is associated with low birth weight, catch-up growth, early weaning, and physical activity/inactivity. MethodsThis case-control study was conducted in family healthcare units of the city of Olinda, Pernambuco, from May to August 2014. ResultsA total of 253 children were studied, 84 with ‘excess weight’ and 164 with ‘normal weight’. In the ‘overweight/obese’ and ‘normal weight’ groups, 77% and 43% of the children, respectively, had high calorie intake. The ‘overweight/obese’ group had lower fruit intake, higher maternal education level, higher family income, higher maternal excess weight, and presence of catch-up growth and inactivity. ConclusionThe results suggest that food intake has an important role, but that other variables contribute to excess weight in children. Recognition of the problem’s many causes should guide the public policies directed at this age group to prevent this nutritional disorder.