Prevalence of Overweight in Children Under Two Years and Associated Factors

Abstract

Childhood obesity has proven to be one of the main public health problems today and can be a risk factor for chronic diseases in adulthood. The research aimed to verify the factors associated with overweight in children under two years of age treated at a Health Unit in São Luís - MA. Cross-sectional and analytical study, carried out from September to November 2018. A questionnaire was applied containing socioeconomic, demographic and reproductive variables of the mother and nutritional characteristics of the child. Excess weight was classified according to the BMI / I. Multivariate analysis was performed using the Poisson regression method. Of the 78 children, 11.5% breastfed in the first hour of life, 38.5% were overweight. It was a risk factor for overweight not having breastfed in the first hour of life (OR: 2.35; 95% CI: 1.29 - 4.25), using a bottle (OR: 1.84; 95% CI: 1.08 - 3.15) and being born with low weight (OR: 1.47; 95% CI: 3.21 - 6.77). It is perceived the need for nutritional monitoring at an early age, in order to avoid malnutrition and minimize risk factors related to changes in growth.