OBJECTIVES: alterations in the feeding patterns of adolescents as related to weight-height adequacy and high body fat percentage (%BF). METHODS: a cross-sectional study was carried out with 99 adolescents, 70% females. The body mass index was applied to diagnose weight-height adequacy, according to the cut-off point established by the World Health Organization. %BF was obtained by the sum of skinfolds, according to Durnin and Rahaman, considering the values >25% (females) and >20% (males) high. A questionnaire was applied to investigate the feeding pattern. RESULTS: the median of daily meals was four. Dinner was the most skipped main meal, however, the majority replaced it by a snack. Skipping dinner and having a snack in the afternoon were more common among girls (p <0.01). About 11% skipped breakfast. In the last years, meal frequency and food intake, except for vegetables, were reduced by the majority. On weekends, about 81% and 31% of the adolescents, respectively, modified the fat and sugar class and the vegetable class intake, consuming more sweets, fat foods and less vegetables. The most rejected food class consisted of vegetable. About 40.5% used diet/light food. CONCLUSIONS: despite the weight-height adequacy and apparent concern related to weight control, these adolescents are under nutritional risk because of the high %BF and important feeding inadequacies.
Adolescent; Anthropometry; Feeding
