Résumé
Con el fin de identificar el aporte nutricional de las meriendas al patrón alimentario de los escolares con estado nutricional normal y con exceso de peso, se estudiaron 80 escolares (40 casos con sobrepeso/obesidad y 40 controles con estado nutricional normal) costarricenses de primer a tercer grado. Se tomó peso, talla y pliegue tricipital para la valoración antropométrica y se utilizó un registro dietético de tres días para la información de consumo. Las meriendas fueron analizadas de acuerdo al tipo (lugar de preparación y consumo) y horario. Se obtuvo que las meriendas de la tarde y la “preparada y consumida en casa” son las realizadas con la mayor frecuencia por ambos grupos. En la merienda “preparada y consumida en casa” y la “merienda de la tarde” se observó un consumo significativamente mayor de energía y carbohidratos en las niñas caso. En la merienda “preparada y consumida en casa”, se reportó un consumo significativamente mayor de grasa saturada en los niños caso comparado con los niños control. Las meriendas de la tarde y las meriendas “preparadas y consumidas en casa”, podrían estar relacionadas con el desarrollo de sobrepeso/obesidad en la muestra estudiada, por lo que la educación nutricional brindada a padres y escolares, resultan claves en la prevención de ésta.
Nutritional contribution of snacks to food patterns in school children who are overweight or obese compared to school children who are of normal weight in Cartago,Costa Rica. In order to assess the nutritional contribution of snacks to food patterns in school children, a sample of 80 Costa Rican elementary schoolchildren: 40 children who were overweight or obese (the case group) and 40 children with normal weight (the control group) were evaluated. The anthropometric evaluation included weight, height, and triceps skinfold thickness. Food patterns were determined using a 3-day food diary.Snacks consumed throughout the day were classified and analyzed according to their place of preparation and location of consumption and to the time of the day in which they were consumed. The results of this study revealed that “afternoon snacks” and “snacks prepared and eaten at home” were the most frequently consumed snacks by both case and control groups.The girls in the case group had a significantly larger intake of energy and carbohydrates in their “afternoon snacks” and the “snacks prepared and eaten at home” as compared to girls in the control group. Boys in the case group showed a significantly greater consumption of saturated fat in the “snacks prepared and eaten at home” as compared to boys in the control group. It was concluded that the intake of “afternoon snacks” and of those “prepared and eaten at home” could be related with the incidence of overweight/obesity in the sample of study and therefore nutrition education aimed at parents and children is crucial and could play an important role in its prevention.