Prevalence of overweight and obesity and associated factors among schoolchildren in a southern Brazilian city

This cross-sectional study aimed to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity in a group of 11-13-year-old schoolchildren in Capao da Canoa, Rio Grande do Sul State, Brazil, and to investigate the association with possible risk factors for excess body weight. The sample was stratified, proportional to the number of pupils in each school. Nutritional status was assessed by body mass index (BMI) cutoffs according to age and gender as proposed by Cole et al. (2000). Socioeconomic, demographic, genetic, and behavior variables were analyzed. 719 children from 11 schools were interviewed, of whom there were 541 (75.2%) with normal BMI, 153 (21.3%) with overweight, and 25 (3.5%) with obesity. Statistically significant associations were found with type of school, parents' nutritional status, level of physical activity, and time of sedentary behavior. Prevalence of overweight and obesity in these schoolchildren was high (24.8%), in keeping with the literature, confirming the problem's magnitude and severity in Brazil.