OBJECTIVE: To describe the anthropometric profile of preschool children registered in a day-care center in Duque de Caxias, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. METHODS: This cross sectional study enrolled 33 preschool children less than six years old registered in a day care center. All families were asked to answer a socioeconomic questionnaire and the children were assessed regarding weight and height. The National Center for Health Statistic (NCHS) and World Health Organization (WHO) growth charts were considered as standards for comparison purposes. RESULTS: The majority of children belonged to medium socioeconomic group (C class). None of them presented height-for-age or weight-for-age deficits with Z score<-2. However, 21.2% presented risk for low height (-2 to -1 Z score); 15.2 and 9.1% presented risk of low weight according to weight-for-age and weight-for-height respectively; 21.2% of the children had overweight (+1 to +2 Z scores) according to both indexes, and finally, 3.0 and 6.1% presented obesity (>+2 Z scores) according to weight-for-age and weight-for-height respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Nutritional transition seems to be present in the studied children, with absence of indicators of malnutrition and a considerable frequency of overweight and obesity.
anthropometry; nutritional status; body height; body weight; child preschool
