NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF WHITE AND BLACK SCHOOLCHILDREN IN THE SOUTH OF BRAZIL

NUTRITIONAL STATUS OF WHITE AND BLACK SCHOOLCHILDREN IN THE SOUTH OF BRAZIL OBJECTIVE. To evaluate the nutritional status of pupils from public schools of two cities in the western part of the state of Parana according to socioeconomic status and race. METHODS. 1,443 children (aged 6 - 11 years) of both genders, classified as white or black and with different socioeconomic status were evaluated by weight, height and body mass index, transformed into the (z) under bar score. A descriptive analysis of the data was performed, and the chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, variance analysis and linear regression with significance of 5% were used. RESULTS. In the low socioeconomic status black pupils were predominant. Black boys presented lower values in weight and height in relation to white boys. When values of the z score lower than - 2 were considered, white girls predominated in weight and height and black boys in height. No significant difference was found in values above +2. Low interaction of socioeconomic status and age was observed to predict weight, as well as for socioeconomic status, age and color of the skin, for height. CONCLUSION. Despite socioeconomic and racial differences found, there was no important variation of the nutritional status in the group of schoolchildren evaluated. [Rev Assoc Med Bras 2009; 55(2): 121-6]