Dietary factors associated with metabolic syndrome and its components in overweight and obese Brazilian schoolchildren: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The metabolic syndrome (MS) has been assessed since childhood mainly because of the nutritional and epidemiological transition that has occurred worldwide. Our objectives were to explore the MS and its components according to anthropometric and demographic factors and to assess the relationship among MS components and dietary characteristics in overweight and obese schoolchildren. METHODS: This was a cross-sectional study which included 147 schoolchildren (aged 6-10 years) from three elementary schools, with body mass index (BMI) higher than the 85th percentile. Sexual maturation stages, anthropometric measures (weight, height, skinfold thickness and waist circumference), biochemical data (glucose, HDL-C and triacylglycerol), blood pressure and dietary intake were assessed. The metabolic syndrome was diagnosed if three or more of the following components were presented: waist circumference ≥90th age and sex-specific cut-off, blood pressure ≥90th age, sex and height-specific cut-off, glucose ≥100 mg/dL, HDL-C ≥ 40 mg/dL and triacylglycerols ≥ 110 mg/dL. The dietary intake was assessed by three non-consecutive 24-h recalls. The T test, Kruskal-Wallis and multiple linear regression analysis were applied to assess MS components and dietary intake. RESULTS: The MS percentage was 10.2 % and it was higher in obese children and ones with high body fat percentage. The waist circumference was the main altered component of MS and 62 % of overweight schoolchildren showed at least one altered component of MS. The components of metabolic syndrome associated with dietary intake were triacylglycerol (positive association with saturated and monounsaturated fat, whole-milk products and processed foods and negative associated with legumes and polyunsaturated fat), glycemia (positive association with processed foods and negative with cereals), HDL-C (positive association with vegetables and greens) and waist circumference was negative associated with protein. CONCLUSIONS: The frequency of MS was higher in obese than overweight schoolchildren and the frequency of at least one MS component was high in more than half of our subjects. The waist circumference was the most frequent among all other components. The triacylglycerol and glycemia were the most frequent MS components associated with dietary intake. Unprocessed food was considered a protective dietary factor for MS metabolic components and processed food with high percentage of sugar and saturated fat was a risk factor for MS metabolic components.

Comportamento sexual e contracepção entre adolescentes / Sexual behavior and contraception among adolescents

Objetivos: Verificar o comportamento sexual de adolescentes matriculados em escolas públicas de ensino médio do município de Cascavel - PR. Métodos: Foi aplicado um questionário a 304 alunos do ensino médio de três escolas públicas, de ambos os sexos e a idade variou de 14 a 21anos. Resultados: Dos 304 questionários respondidos, 78% (n=237) já tiveram aula sobre sexualidade e 42% já foram à consulta médica para terem seus órgãos genitais examinados. A média de idade da primeira relação foi 15,1 anos. O tipo de prática sexual prevalente foi o vaginal (49%). Os adolescentes mantiveram a relação com namorado em 38,7% dos casos e o método contraceptivo mais utilizado foi o preservativo masculino (61,8%). Dos alunos, 61,8% (n=188) conheciam algum método de contracepção de emergência, principalmente através de amigos (42%). Dos 304 adolescentes, 23,7% (n=72) usaram contracepção de emergência; 58,3% adquiriram o método contraceptivo na farmácia e 20,8% com o parceiro. O motivo prevalente para seu uso foi o rompimento do preservativo, em 51,4% dos casos. Atualmente, 63% do total não utilizam método de anticoncepção como pílula, injeção ou contracepção de emergência e, frente à ausência de preservativos, 36,5% não teriam relação. Conclusão: Os resultados mostraram que a escola é um importante local para ensino sobre sexualidade e prevenção de doenças sexualmente transmissíveis (DSTs). O meio prevalente de conhecimento da contracepção de emergência foram os amigos e não a escola. Outro dado preocupante na pesquisa foi a "não utilização de métodos contraceptivos atualmente", o que revela a necessidade de maior atenção neste aspecto...

Perfil epidemiológico do uso de substâncias psicoativas por adolescentes / Epidemiological profile of the use of psychoactive substances by adolescents

Objetivo: Analisar a prevalência do consumo de substâncias psicoativas em uma amostra de adolescentes de três escolas públicas do município de Cascavel - Paraná. Métodos: Foi aplicado um questionário a 242 estudantes do ensino médio, de 14 a 21 anos de idade, de ambos os sexos. Resultados: A idade média dos entrevistados foi de 17,5 (14 a 21) anos. Notou-se que 62,8% já haviam feito uso de substância psicoativa alguma vez na vida, sendo o álcool a mais utilizada (75,6%). Dos que ainda fazem uso de substância psicoativa (44,6%), a mais usada continua sendo o álcool (70,3%), seguida do narguilé, cigarro e maconha, com 60,1%, 38,8% e 15,7%, respectivamente. Desses, a maioria se consideram usuários ocasionais (65,7%). Em relação à idade de início do uso, a média foi de 14 anos. De todos os entrevistados, 80,5% referem não fumar. Além disso, 49,7% dos entrevistados responderam ter tabagista na família. Observou-se que 187(77,2%) dos 242 jovens entrevistados mencionaram praticar algum tipo de esporte. Conclusão: Notou-se que dos estudantes que fizeram uso de substância psicoativa alguma vez na vida, o álcool foi a mais utilizada. Com relação ao tabaco, observou-se que a forma não habitual (narguilé) vem sendo mais utilizada do que a forma convencional de tabagismo entre os adolescentes. A prevenção do consumo dessas substâncias deve ser parte integrante dos cuidados de saúde ao adolescente, seja em serviços de saúde, seja nas escolas e nos lares...

Dietary intake and blood lipid profile in overweight and obese schoolchildren.

BACKGROUND: The high blood lipid levels and obesity are one of the main risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, and the atherosclerotic process begins in childhood. Some environmental factors are supposed to be involved in this relationship, such as dietary factors. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between dietary intake and blood lipids levels in overweight and obese schoolchildren. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study with 147 overweight and obese schoolchildren in Botucatu city, Brazil. The anthropometric measurements (body weight, height, body mass index, waist circumference and skinfolds), pubertal staging evaluation and biochemical tests were taken in all children. Three 24h-recall were applied in order to estimate the dietary intake and its relationship with blood lipid levels. The Student t test and multiple linear regression analysis were used for statistical analysis. Statistical significance was assessed at the level of 0.05. The data were processed in SAS software (version 9.1.3; SAS Institute). RESULTS: At this study, 63% of children were obese (body mass index higher than 95th percentile) and 80% showed high body fat percentage. The percentage of children with abnormal total cholesterol and triglycerides was 12% and 10%, respectively, and 28% presented at least one abnormal lipid levels. The average values of anthropometric measurements were higher in children with elevated lipid levels. Total cholesterol levels were positively related to full-fat dairy products and triglycerides levels to saturated fat percentage. CONCLUSIONS: Saturated fat was positively associated with elevated lipid levels in overweight and obese schoolchildren. These results reinforce the importance of healthy dietary habits since childhood in order to reduce the risks of cardiovascular diseases in adulthood.