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Diaeta
On-line version ISSN 1852-7337
Abstract
BRAC, Jesica; AIMARETTI, Nora; WALZ, Florencia and MARTINELLI, Marcela. Food intake, physical activity and nutritional status of children of two towns in Santa Fe with a different level of urbanization. Diaeta [online]. 2014, vol.32, n.146, pp.06-13. ISSN 1852-7337.
Introduction: Urban environments discourage physical activity and allow easy access to a wide variety of foods that generally have low nutritional quality. This affects all the population, including children. Objective: To determine if food intake, physical activity and nutritional status of pre-pubertal children are similar, whether residing in Santa Clara de Saguier town or Santa Fe city. Method: Children of 4th and 5th grade from a school in Santa Clara de Saguier (town school) and a school in Santa Fe (city school). Food intake was assessed according to the Dietary Guidelines for Children and physical and sedentary activities. BMI was calculated and evaluated according to WHO. Results: Very few differences between the children from the town school and the ones from the city school were observed. The eating habits of the majority of the children in both schools was slightly varied: low daily intake of cereals, legumes, fruits, vegetables and fish, and about 50% consumed soft drinks and artificial juices daily. In town children a lower consumption of dairy products was observed. All the children did physical activity at school twice a week and in the city there is a higher proportion of children that never do extracurricular physical activity. Only 25% of children from both schools meet the daily recommended 60-minute physical activity. Most of them take more than three hours per day in sedentary activities. The prevalence of overweight and obesity in both schools was similar (approximately 40%). Conclusion: Apparently city and town children have similar eating habits and activity patterns, not too healthy, maybe due to the wide scope of social media and massive advertising of attractive products with low nutritional quality.
Keywords : Child´s Nutrition; Physical Activity; Urbanization; BMI.