OBECTIVE: To investigate whether the occurrence of short stature in school-aged children would be the same as that found in under-five year olds in terms of prevalence and some risk factors. METHODS: The sample consisted of 894 school-aged children (from 6 to 12 year-olds) and of 2.078 under-five year olds. Pearson's chi2 test of association was employed to verify the association between short stature and possible risk factors in each of the groups investigated. The equality of proportions test was used to verify the differences in prevalence of short stature in each age group, and an explanatory multivariate model of the short stature in the under-five year olds was adjusted. RESULTS: Taking into account the entire sample, the proportion of short stature amongst school-aged children (16.9%) was significantly greater than amongst under-five year olds (12.1%). The multivariate model showed that short stature in school-aged children, the per capita income and the mother's educational level and age, were the factors that best explained short stature in the under-five year olds. CONCLUSION: In urban areas of the State of Pernambuco, the height/age indicator may be indicative of co-linearity between school-aged children and under-five year olds. The occurrence of short stature in school-aged children was the main predictive factor of short stature in under-five year old siblings.
child; short stature; nutritional dwarfism; school health
