Abstract

Introduction: Food selection and dietary pattern impact in weight at pediatric age. Unhealthy dietary habits, including foods with added sugar, sodium, and saturated fat, are associated with an increased risk of childhood obesity. Objective: Determine the eventual relationship between the foods that are regularly purchased, offered and consumed, with the potential risk of generating overweight and obesity. Materials and methods: An analytical and cross-sectional study was carried out using a structured and closed survey, from 1-1-19 to 31-7-19 in a representative sample of mothers of children from 1 to 10 years old. Data analysis was performed using the Epi Info 6 Program (CDC / WHO). Results: 1144 surveys were carried out (50.09% girls; 49.91% boys. Mean age 5.59 ± 2.83 years). Aspect of the children: 20.6% were thin, 54.7% were normal, 18.4% were overweight, and 6.3% were obese. Foods that predisposde to overweight and obese children were: yogurt, juices, mustard, ketchup, cold cuts, sausages, hamburgers, ready sauces, desserts, soft drinks, cream, ice cream, canned fruits, meat mincemeat, preserves, fruit juice powders, chips and sticks. The five foods that generated the highest proportion of overweight and obese children, (mean 24.7%) were: sticks: 48.5%; cheese puffs: 42.4%; chips: 39.4%; soft drinks 37.9%; fruit juice powders at about 36.5%. When the “Distortions” were analyzed it appeared that mothers who saw themselves with less volume than they have, greatly increased the proportion of children who were overweight and obese. Conclusions: 1) The existence at home of snacks and sugar-rich drinks and foods given on birthdays’ celebrations significantly determined the existence of overweight and obesity in children. Mothers who perceived themselves of lesser volume from that observed by the operator do increased the overweight and obese children proportion.

Keywords

feeding habits, pediatrics, weight excess