NUTRITIONAL STATUS AND GROWTH OF QUILOMBOLA CHILDREN FROM DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES OF THE STATE OF PARA

Abstract

The objective of this research is to assess the nutritional status and gro­wth of children living in three Quilombola communities of Pará State, Amazônia, Brazil. We conducted a cross-sectional study to analyze 48 children between 0-5 years of age, representing over 70% of the po­pulation of this age group in the quilombos of Santo Antônio, África/ Laranjituba e Mangueiras. Anthropometric measurements followed in­ternational standard procedures and data were converted to Z-scores using the WHO-Anthro program. Weight/Height (W/H), Height/Age (H/A), Weight/Age (W/A) and Body Mass Index/Age (BMI/A) were descriptors of nutritional status on all track groups. A significant per­centage of children present deviation in their growth and nutritional status in relation to the international references. When evaluating the W/H and BMI/A, a considerable number of children above the Z­-score +1 (29.9%) is observed, highlighting a growing number of cases of overweight and obesity. However, when analyzing H/A, 31.1 % of children are below -2 Z-scores, showing that stunting is still a problem among these Quilombola remnants. The Quilombola children analyzed still have difficulties to achieve health and their full potential for gro­wth, obstacles related to the socio-demographic, sanitary, and ecologic conditions in which they live. Concomitant with the scenario of under­nutrition, there is a considerable prevalence of overweight among these children, confirming the nutritional transition process taking place in the Amazon region. Keywords: Quilombola, children, nutritional assessment, nutritional transition, Amazonia