Relationship between the consumption of foods rich in added sugars and the body mass index in children aged 8-10 years

Vilchez M.; Palomino C. · Revista Espanola de Nutricion Comunitaria (2022)

Resumen

Background: Childhood obesity is a growing epidemic. In the last ten years, it has more than doubled among children between 5 and 9 years of age in the country: from a rate of 7.7% in 2008 to 19.3% in 2018, according to data from the Observatory of Nutrition and the Study of Overweight and Obesity. The objective was to determine the relationship between the consumption of foods rich in added sugars and the body mass index in children aged 8-10 years from the Hechadero association in Chilca. Methods: correlational research, its non-experimental, cross-sectional and correlational design. The pilot sample consisted of 40 children. A questionnaire was used to verify the level of consumption of foods rich in added sugars and the mechanical instruments were the scale and height rod. Results: 37.5% of the children were within the maximum consumption range and 62.5% exceeded this recommended limit. Regarding the BMI, 7.5% of the children were obese, 42.5% overweight, 40% normal weight, 7.5% thin, 2.5% severely thin. Conclusions: 50% of the children participating in the research present a high body mass index between obesity and overweight, the other 40% present normal weight and 10% a low BMI between thinness and severe thinness, 62% of the children exceeded the established daily limit of sugar consumption, with sugary drinks and desserts being the most consumed foods and only 38% were within the recommended range.

Instituciones: Universidad Peruana Los Andes