Özet:

Introduction: Due to the difficulty of treating obesity in adult life, its prevention should start in childhood, schoolchildren represent a vulnerable group, since the phase is of rapid growth and they still have physiological immaturity. The growing trend of childhood obesity is due to the intake of energy-rich foods and reduced physical activity. Objective: To associate food consumption and the nutritional status of schoolchildren. Materials and methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out, with a quantitative approach and used as a sample children aged between 8 and 10 years, female and male, enrolled in the public school Vicentina de Aguiar Brandão, located in municipality of Ipuiuna, Minas Gerais. Children's food consumption was investigated using a FFQ (Food Frequency Questionnaire). Results: It was found that in relation to the nutritional status of children, 17.39% were eutrophic, 73.91% were underweight and 8.69% were overweight, contrary to similar studies that point to a higher average of children being overweight in the same age group, which encourages the need to adopt more appropriate nutritional practices at home and in the school environment. Discussion: The rate of overweight and obese children is high, so it is necessary to adopt stricter nutrition policies regarding the food received at school and at home by these students. Conclusion: The present study points out that the majority of children submitted to the analysis and interview are underweight, but we cannot rule out the fact that even with a low index, there is still a percentage of overweight schoolchildren. Therefore, it is necessary that obesity control policies and measures against malnutrition be adopted by the municipality.

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