Obesity and cardiovascular risk factors in school children from Sorocaba, SP *

SummaryObjectiveTo verify the prevalence of obesity, systemic arterial hypertension (SAH), waist circumference and acanthosis nigricans (AN) in school children from Sorocaba, in 2009 and associate them with risk factors.MethodsA probabilistic sample study was carried out with 680 children (7–11 years) from 13 public schools from the city of Sorocaba, SP. A questionnaire containing questions on physical activity, time spent watching television, playing with videogames and computers (TV/VG/PC), student and parental antecedents of arterial hypertension, renal or cardiac disease, and economic level was applied. On physical examination, weight, height, waist circumference (WC) and blood pressure (BP) were measured; presence of AN was observed. The prevalence of nutritional disorders, SAH, WC increase and presence of AN were calculated. To associate body mass index (BMI) ≥ P85 and BP ≥ P90 with the other variables, chi-square or Fisher's exact test (significance p < 0.05) and crude and adjusted prevalence odds ratio (POR) were used.ResultsThe prevalence of BMI ≥ P85 was 22.1% [95% CI: 19.0–25.3%], of BP ≥ P90 10.9% [95% CI: 8.6–13.5%], increased WC 15.4% [95% CI: 12.9–17.9%] and AN 3.8% [95% CI: 2.6–5.6%]. Paternal antecedents were associated with weight excess in both analysis (POR: 1.76; 95% CI: 1.05–2.95; p = 0.02). High blood pressure was associated with female sex (POR: 1.90; 95% CI: 1.12–3.23; p = 0.01), more time spent with TV/VG/PC (POR: 1.82; 95% CI: 1.00–3.36; p = 0.03), AN (POR: 8.18; 95% CI: 3.37–19.80; p < 0.00), obesity (POR: 4.09; 95% CI: 2.41–6.94; p < 0.00) and WC (POR: 4.83; 95% CI: 2.77–8.41; p < 0.00). After the multivariate analysis, the female sex (adjusted POR = 2.15; 95% CI: 1.17–3.93) and obesity (adjusted POR = 9.51; 95% CI: 4.77–18.97) remained.ConclusionThe prevalence of weight excess, SAH, increased WC and AN in these school children was relevant. This fact justifies the use of these measurements.