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Obesity, overweight and thinness in schoolchildren of the city of Florianópolis, Southern Brazil

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 59, pages 1015–1021 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To assess the prevalence of obesity, overweight (including obesity) and thinness in children of the city of Florianopolis (southern Brazil).

Design:

Cross-sectional study.

Subjects:

Representative sample of 7–10-y-old schoolchildren of the first four grades of elementary schools (1432 girls, 1504 boys).

Methods:

Measurements of weight, height and triceps skinfold thickness (TSF) were taken following standard techniques. The body mass index (BMI) was computed as weight/height2. Nutritional status was defined using two references: (1) the Must et al reference for BMI and TSF to define thinness, overweight and obesity (5th, 85th and 95th percentiles, respectively); (2) the International Obesity Task Force (IOTF) BMI cutoffs to define overweight and obesity.

Results:

Using BMI, according to the Must et al, and IOTF references, the prevalence of obesity was 10.6 and 5.5%, respectively; overweight (including obesity) affected 26.2 and 22.1% of children, respectively. According to the Must et al reference, the prevalence of thinness was 3.2%. Using TSF rather than BMI, according to the Must et al references, fewer children were classified as obese (8.0%) or overweight (20.2%) and more children were classified as thin (4.9%).

Conclusion:

This study supports the previously reported high frequencies of childhood overweight and obesity in developing countries. The data allow comparisons with other studies carried out in Brazil and other parts of the world.

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Acknowledgements

This study was supported by the Fundação de Ciência e Tecnologia (FUNCITEC); the Health Secretary of the Prefeitura Municipal de Florianopolis and the Santa Catarina Federal University (UFSC) (Funpesquisa and Pro-extensão, 2002), Santa Catarina, Brazil. We gratefully thank SB Hulse of the Education Secretary of the Prefeitura Municipal de Florianopolis, the staff of the schools and the graduate students of UFSC that assisted with the organization of the study; the physical education teachers who recorded the measures, and children and parents for their participation in the study.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Nutrition, Santa Catarina Federal University, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil

    M A A de Assis & F A G de Vasconcelos

  2. Unité Mixte de Recherche, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale, U557 INSERM, Paris, France

    M F Rolland-Cachera

  3. Department of Pediatrics, Santa Catarina Federal University, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil

    S Grosseman & M M S Pires

  4. Health Secretary, Prefeitura Municipal de Florianópolis, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil

    M E P Luna

  5. Department of Public Health, Santa Catarina Federal University, Florianópolis, SC, Brazil

    M C M Calvo

  6. Pernambuco State University, Research Group on Lifestyle and Health, Recife, PE, Brazil

    M V G Barros

  7. INRA, Hôpital Hôtel Dieu, Paris, France

    F Bellisle

Authors
  1. M A A de Assis
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  2. M F Rolland-Cachera
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  3. S Grosseman
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  4. F A G de Vasconcelos
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  5. M E P Luna
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  6. M C M Calvo
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  7. M V G Barros
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  8. M M S Pires
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  9. F Bellisle
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to M A A de Assis.

Additional information

Guarantor: F Bellisle.

Contributors: MAAdA took the lead in planning the study. MFR-C and FB participated in designing the study and contributed substantially to the interpretation of the results. MAAdA, MFR-C and FB wrote the paper. SG, FAGV, MEPL participated in designing the study, protocol execution and critically reviewed all parts the paper. MCMC and MVGB assisted with data handling and statistical analysis and critically reviewed all parts of the paper. MMSP participated in designing the study.

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de Assis, M., Rolland-Cachera, M., Grosseman, S. et al. Obesity, overweight and thinness in schoolchildren of the city of Florianópolis, Southern Brazil. Eur J Clin Nutr 59, 1015–1021 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602206

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