Maria Ana Carvalho

Prevalence of obesity among Portuguese children (6–8 years old) using three definition criteria: COSI Portugal, 2008

What is already known about this subject? Obesity is at epidemic levels and presents a serious global public health challenge. Portugal is one of the European countries with the highest prevalence of childhood obesity. Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative (COSI) is a robust monitoring system covering similar age groups, using standardized methods that allows comparability with other WHO European Region Member States.

Program Obesity Zero (POZ) – a community-based intervention to address overweight primary-school children from five Portuguese municipalities

OBJECTIVE Results of the WHO European Childhood Obesity Surveillance Initiative indicated that on average one out of four primary-school children is overweight or obese. Portugal presented one of the highest prevalences of obesity. Childhood obesity prevention and treatment should be a top priority. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effectiveness of Program Obesity Zero (POZ), a multi-component, community-, family- and school-based childhood obesity intervention. DESIGN Parents and children attended four individual nutrition and physical activity counselling sessions, a one-day healthy cooking workshop and two school extracurricular sessions of nutrition education. Waist circumference, BMI, physical activity level, sedentary behaviours, and nutrition and physical activity knowledge, attitudes and behaviour were assessed at baseline and after 6 months. Diet was assessed using two 24 h recalls, at baseline and at 6 months. SETTING Five Portuguese municipalities and local communities. SUBJECTS Two hundred and sixty-six overweight children (BMI ≥ 85th percentile) aged 6-10 years, from low-income families in five Portuguese municipalities, were assigned to the intervention. RESULTS Children showed reductions in waist circumference (-2.0 cm; P < 0.0001), mean BMI (-0.7 kg/m2; P < 0.0001) and BMI-for-age percentile (-1.7; P < 0.0001) at 6 months. Overall, childrens intake of fruit and vegetables was <400 g/d throughout the intervention. After 6 months, higher fibre consumption and an apparent decrease in sugary soft drinks intake to a quarter of that observed at baseline (mean intake: 198 ml/d at baseline), with improvements in physical activity levels and screen time <2 h/d, were also observed. CONCLUSIONS The findings suggested that POZ is a promising intervention programme, at municipality level, to tackle childhood overweight and obesity.

Análise comparativa de métodos de abordagem da obesidade infantil

Resumo Introducao A obesidade infantil constitui, na actualidade, um dos mais serios desafios de saude publica, tendo atingindo niveis epidemicos em varios paises do Mundo. A obesidade na infância e adolescencia aumenta a probabilidade de obesidade na idade adulta assim como esta associada a uma serie de efeitos adversos em termos da saude e do bem-estar das criancas e dos adolescentes. Como tal, a sua prevencao e o seu tratamento tornam-se prioritarios. Objectivo Nao estando definido um modelo unico padrao no tratamento da obesidade infantil, pretende-se identificar e valorizar neste artigo os elementos essenciais da abordagem desta doenca. Material e metodos Foram analisados maioritariamente estudos aleatorizados controlados que enfatizam importantes desenvolvimentos ao nivel das intervencoes no âmbito da alimentacao, da actividade fisica, da mudanca comportamental, do ambiente familiar e da participacao da comunidade. Conclusao Concluiu-se que as intervencoes em ambiente familiar de base comportamental que incorporam modificacoes ao nivel da alimentacao e da actividade fisica parecem ser as mais efectivas no controlo do peso corporal. As intervencoes de base comunitaria, apesar de ainda serem escassas, parecem assumir um eixo estrategico no combate a esta doenca.

SUN-PP203: PAC24 - The Portuguese Self-Administered Computerised 24-Hour Dietary Recall

Copyright