Revista de Saúde Pública (Apr 2010)
Prevalência de extremos antropométricos em crianças do estado de Alagoas Prevalencia de extremos antropométricos en niños del estado de Alagoas, Noreste de Brasil Prevalence of extreme anthropometric measurements in children from Alagoas, Northeastern Brazil
Abstract
O objetivo do artigo foi estimar a prevalência de extremos antropométricos indicativos do estado nutricional de crianças. Realizou-se estudo transversal com amostra probabilística de 1.386 crianças menores de cinco anos do estado de Alagoas. As prevalências de déficits (z El objetivo del artículo fue estimar la prevalencia de extremos antropométricos indicativos del estado nutricional de niños. Se realizó estudio transversal con muestra probabilística de 1.386 niños menores de cinco años del estado de Alagoas. Las prevalencias de déficit (zThe objective of the study was to estimate the prevalence of extreme anthropometric measurements in children indicative of their nutritional status. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a random sample of 1,386 children under five in the state of Alagoas, northeastern Brazil. The prevalence of deficits (z <-2; WHO-2006 standard) for weight-for-age (underweight), weight-for-height (wasting) and height-for-age (stunting) were 2.9% (n = 40), 1.2% (n = 17), and 10.3% (n = 144), respectively. Excess of weight-for-height (overweight) was seen in 135 children (9.7%). In conclusion, the prevalences of underweight and wasting are epidemiologically irrelevant and stunting and overweight have a similar prevalence.
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