Resumen

LOPEZ, Marianela Ibarra; LLOBET LEON, Laia  y  FERNANDEZ ROJAS, Xinia. Contribución de la merienda al patrón alimentario de escolares con exceso de peso y estado nutricional normal, en Cartago, Costa Rica. ALAN [online]. 2012, vol.62, n.4, pp.339-346. ISSN 0004-0622.

Nutritional contribution of snacks to food patterns in school children who are overweight or obese compared to school children who are of normal weight in Cartago,Costa Rica. In order to assess the nutritional contribution of snacks to food patterns in school children, a sample of 80 Costa Rican elementary schoolchildren: 40 children who were overweight or obese (the case group) and 40 children with normal weight (the control group) were evaluated. The anthropometric evaluation included weight, height, and triceps skinfold thickness. Food patterns were determined using a 3-day food diary.Snacks consumed throughout the day were classified and analyzed according to their place of preparation and location of consumption  and  to  the  time  of  the  day  in  which  they  were consumed. The results of this study revealed that “afternoon snacks” and “snacks prepared and eaten at home” were the most frequently consumed snacks by both case and control groups.The girls in the case group had a significantly larger intake of energy and carbohydrates in their “afternoon snacks” and the “snacks prepared and eaten at home” as compared to girls in the control group. Boys in the case group showed a significantly greater consumption of saturated fat in the “snacks prepared and eaten at home” as compared to boys in the control group. It was concluded that the intake of “afternoon snacks” and of those “prepared and eaten at home” could be related with the incidence of overweight/obesity in the sample of study and therefore nutrition education aimed at parents and children is crucial and could play an important role in its prevention.

Palabras clave : Snacks; food pattern; childhood obesity.

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