Anthropometric and metabolic profile of school children born full term or preterm : a cross sectional study

Abstract

Facing an increase in childhood obesity, it is necessary to investigate the metabolic profile of school-aged children in order to identify earlier lipid and glycemic changes. The objective in this study was to establish the blood pressure, anthropometric and metabolic profile of school-age children born at term or premature in western Paraná. The methodology implemented in this article was a cross-sectional, convenience-type sample of 132 children (five to nine years old), from four municipal schools, 33 children from each school were selected for data collection. Family socioeconomic variables, weight, height, waist circumference, blood pressure, total cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose were analyzed. The schoolchildren were divided into two groups: born at term (GENT), and premature births (GENP). Statistical analysis using XLSTAT. The main results obtained showed that overweight and obesity were observed in the GENT (38.33%), and GENP (41.66%). Statistical difference was observed only in the abdominal circumference in the GENT, of these, 90% had mean systolic blood pressure above the 90th percentile (p<0.001), 65% had clinical criteria for metabolic syndrome. In conclusion, anthropometric profile showed a significant prevalence of obesity in both groups, waist circumference higher than expected for age. Lipid parameters should be routinely evaluated among schoolchildren, looking for changes to propose interventions to reduce the risk of chronic conditions in adulthood.