Food consumption by adolescents enrolled in a private high school in the city of Teresina, Piauí, was evaluated in a systematic sampling cross-sectional study. The food consumption frequency in days per week was obtained using an individually filled out questionnaire. The nutritional status was evaluated through the body mass index, considering as overweight data > or = P85. The results show a high overweight risk prevalence (19.8%) in the 334 adolescents. The boys consumed with higher frequency energetic food (corn, butter, pizza, lasagna, industrialized juices, soft drinks) and constructors (chicken, eggs, vegetables) in relation to the girls (p < 0.05). The adolescents between ten and thirteen years old consumed with higher frequency corn, honey, sugar, raw brown sugar, while the ones with age between seventeen and nineteen years old consumed more rice, cakes, cookies, rusk, candies, chewing gum, soft drinks, green-yelow fruits.
food consumption; adolescent; body massa index; private high school
