Nutritional status of the population under the School Health program in the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires in 2015

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: The School Health program of the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires (CABA, in Spanish) performs a systematic
and annual health control at the initial, primary and middle levels in all state-run schools. The objective of this study was to describe the nutritional status of children attending public educational establishments in CABA in 2015 and their relationship  with age, sex, educational level, health coverage, geographical distribution and type of food benefits offered. METHODS:  Descriptive, transversal design. The 2015 databases of said program were used, analyzing 57.091 cases. RESULTS: Malnutrition  due to excess was found in 43.57% of schoolchildren (25.04% overweight, 14.51% obesity and 4.02% severe obesity). The low  weight and the short height were present in a low magnitude (1.53% and 3.46%, respectively). Excess weight increased  proportionally with age until the end of primary school, and then decreased at the secondary level. It was associated to the  male sex, to the population of schools in the southern part of the city and without health coverage. No relationship was found  with food over-assistance. DISCUSSION: This study helps to corroborate that overweight and obesity together are an important  and growing public health problem in this population and contribute to nutritional epidemiological surveillance to review and  propose future actions.