OBJECTIVE: To compare the nutritional assessment of preschool children according to Brazilian (Conde and Monteiro, 2006) and international guidelines (Centers for Disease Control - CDC, 2000, and World Health Organization - OMS, 2006). METHODS: Cross-sectional study with 312 preschool children attending day care centers in Rio de Janeiro State, Brazil. Assessment of nutritional status was based on anthropometry done by the standard technique. The diagnosis of nutritional status according to CDC and WHO was based on the weight-for-age, weight-for-height and height-for-age indexes, considering underweight, overweight and obesity measures <15th percentile, >85th percentile and >97th percentile, respectively. The classification of nutritional status based on the Body Mass Index (BMI) used the cut-off points established by Conde and Monteiro. The statistical analysis used Friedmam and chi-square tests, being significant p<0.05. RESULTS: No differences were noted between preschool genders when comparing the BMI criteria and the weight/height index of CDC and WHO criteria. Regarding the weight/age index, no differences were observed for both girls and boys with the CDC and WHO criteria. However, there were differences when these criteria were compared for height/age index for boys (chi-square, p=0.0026). CONCLUSIONS: Criteria used for the nutritional assessment of preschool children do not differ significantly among themselves, except for the height/age index for boys.
child, preschool; nutritional status; anthropometry
