Nutrição no início da vida num contexto de transição nutricional : um estudo na região semi-árida de Alagoas.

Abstract

Alagoas is the poorest state of Brazil, and the semiarid region of Alagoas is the poorest region of this state. Although the population of the semiarid region is of very low income, the prevalence of childhood malnutrition decreased, while obesity is increasing. These data show that the semiarid region of Alagoas is in nutritional transition. The nutritional transition is the change in socioeconomic structure that led to a change in diet and activity patterns. An important change in socioeconomic and demographic structure occurred in recent years in Alagoas. Changes in the quality of diet and level of physical activity are likely the main determinant factors of the nutritional transition. However, recent evidences suggest that specific patterns of prenatal and postnatal growth are also potential contributors. The objective of this work is to investigate if early nutrition influences the nutritional transition in the semiarid region of Alagoas. For this, two studies were elaborated. The first study was entitled Stunting is associated with wasting in children from the semiarid region of Alagoas and the second was Nutritional state of preschool children in the semiarid region of Alagoas according to breastfeeding exposition . The both searches were sectional study involving a sample of the preschool children living in the semi-arid region of Alagoas. In the first study, that investigated if stunting children of the semiarid region tend to the overweight, or if, alternatively, they tend to wasting, we observed that stunting is associated with wasting. In the second study, was investigated the effect of breastfeeding on stunting and overweight in children. We observed that breastfeeding for thirty days seems to protect against the overweight in childhood. We concluded that early nutrition has influence on nutritional transition in the semiarid region of Alagoas, since the early nutrition can intervene with susceptibility to obesity. The promotion to the healthy feeding in pregnant women and children must be a priority strategy in prevention of chronic diseases, decreasing the advance of the nutritional transition in the semiarid region of Alagoas.