Growth profile and nutritional status of children in kindergarten of Piracicaba city

Abstract

The aim of this study was to examine the growth profile and nutritional status from public kindergarten children from Piracicaba-SP. Participated 202 children, two to six years old. Weight, stature and cephalic perimeter were checked, and the classification in levels of obesity and subnutrition was used. The values were compared with basis from National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS); 23% of the girls and 25% of the boys showed values near obesity, while 18% of the girls and 14% of the boys were around subnutrition. Cephalic perimeter from 18% of the girls and 16% of the boys were below the expected measures and 12% and 14% were above it. There was correlation between Cephalic perimeter and weight; and also between stature and cephalic perimeter, confirming the existence of children with obesity or subnutrition. It is necessary to adequate scholar nutrition, nutritional education and physical activities programs.