Prevalência de sobrepeso e obesidade e sua correlação com nível de atividade física e perfil nutricional em escolares de uma instituição de ensino público municipal no estado do Pará

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: Several factors are involved in the etiology of overweight and obesity, among which we can mention as primary the energy imbalance between calories ingested and spent, obtained mainly from the change in eating habits in which there was a higher consumption of industrialized foods, rich in fats, sugars and salt; and consequent reduction in physical activities, bringing us more and more to sedentary lifestyle (WHO, 2014). OBJECTIVE: To verify the prevalence of overweight and obesity in elementary school students, final years (6th to 9th grade), aged between 10 and 15 years of the educational institution Laércio Wilson Barbalho Municipal School in Ananindeua - PA and its correlation with habitual physical activity and nutritional profile. METHODOLOGY: This is a descriptive cross-sectional study, conducted through an interview using a structured questionnaire for the evaluation of the following variables: schooling, gender, age, eating and leisure habits, collected through a 24-hour recall and physical activity questionnaires in the Physical Activity Questionnaire for Older Children (PAQ-C) and Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents (PAQ-A). Weight and height were collected to calculate the body mass index (BMI) using a scale and a statometer. RESULTS: The study participants 266 students, with a mean age of 13.61 (±1.32), most females (51.9%), attended the ninth year (32.7%), had the ideal weight (46.2%) and was sufficiently active (52.3%), 45.2% of schoolchildren were overweight, 48.12% were insufficiently active, no relationship was observed between the above-normal body mass index (overweight and obesity) and the dietary profile in the population, no relationship was observed between the above-normal body mass index (overweight and obesity) and the level of physical activity in the population studied (Contingency coefficient=0.086, p=0.34), but a weak relationship was observed between the body mass index within normality (ideal weight) and the level of physical activity (Contingency coefficient=0.277, p<0.01). CONCLUSION: Approximately half of the participants were above the ideal weight. No relationship was found between overweight and food intake of students, but a relationship was evidenced between those with the ideal weight and the level of physical activity. A technical report was prepared with suggestions for changes in the physical education curriculum component, aiming to monitor and intervene in the level of physical activity and weight of students and proposing changes in life habits in order to minimize the possible future damage caused by overweight and inactivity.