Nutritional status of adolescents and its relation with socio-demographics variables: National Adolescent School-based Health Survey (PeNSE), 2009

The aim of this study was to describe the nutritional status of adolescents in the 9th year of public and private schools of the Brazilian capitals and its association with socio-demographic variables. By means of a self-completed questionnaire, information related to sex, race, age, public/private school, macro-region of the country, maternal education and family possessions were recorded. Measures of weight and height were measured according to standardized procedures. Height for age and body mass index for age was evaluated according to the World Health Organization reference. Anthropometric measurements of 58,971 adolescents were obtained, of which 2.9% were stunted and 2.9% underweight. There was 23.0% of overweight and 7.3% of obesity, which were higher in the South and Southeast regions. Deficits in height and weight, overweight and obesity were more prevalent in boys. The deficits were higher at public schools while overweight and obesity at private ones. Adolescents whose mothers were less educated or from poorer families had greater deficits in height and the reverse occurred with overweight and obesity. The findings about the deficits, overweight and obesity highlight the need for nutritional interventions designed to reach this stage of life.