Search

Objectives: To determine the prevalence and factors associated with overweight and obesity in Peruvian schoolchildren., Materials and Methods: Cross-sectional study carried out between 2013 and 2014. The probabilistic, multistage stratified sampling included 1 191 conglomerates with 7 914 dwellings (4 842 in the urban area and 3 072 in the rural area) of Peru. A total of 2 801 schoolchildren aged between 5 and 13 years were evaluated. The Z score of the body mass index by age (ZBMI) was used according to the WHO. Overweight was considered (ZBMI> 1 and ≤2) and obesity (ZBMI >2)., Results: 18.1% of the sample was overweight and 14.1% were obese. Overweight predominated in males (18.7%), schoolchildren aged 8 to 10 years (19.6%), non-poor (21.2%), residing in the urban area (21.6%), from Metropolitan Lima (22.8%) and Costa (22.7%). The factors associated with overweight included non-poverty (OR=1.9), living in urban areas (OR=1.7), Metropolitan Lima (OR=1.9) and Costa (OR=1.6). On the other hand, factors associated with obesity included male sex (OR=3.1), secondary education level of the head of the household (OR=1.8), higher education (OR=2.5), non-poor (OR=9.2), residing in an urban area (OR=3.4), Metropolitan Lima (OR=4.8) and Costa (OR=2.9)., Conclusions: The prevalence of obesity or overweight in schoolchildren is high. Non-poverty, living in urban areas, Metropolitan Lima and Costa are associated with overweight. Being a man, non-poor, the highest educational level of the head of the household, living in the urban area, Metropolitan Lima and Costa were associated with obesity.

Objective: To estimate the bacteriological quality of drinking water in Huancavelica, Cajamarca and Huánuco during 2012-2013., Material and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. Sampling was probabilistic, stratified and multistage. The sample included 706 households. The Readycult ® kit was used to assess the presence of total coliforms and E. coli. 100 mL of water used for food preparation was collected. The determination of residual chlorine was performed by semiquantitative analysis using Chlorine Test Reagent ®. It was established as the ideal residual chlorine concentration ≥0,5 mg/L. The statistical analysis considered the necessary weight for complex samples. We calculed percentages and chi square. The informed consent of the head of household is requested. It was defined as good bacteriological quality of water: water sample with adequate free chlorine, in the absence of total coliforms and E. coli., Results: The samples tested, 78.6 % had total coliforms in Cajamarca, Huancavelica and 65.5 % at 64.1 % in Huanuco. The 72.0 % had E. coli in Cajamarca, Huancavelica 37.4 % and 17.5 % in Huánuco. In Cajamarca, 8.6 % of the water samples were of good bacteriological quality, while in Huancavelica was 4.3 % and Huanuco, 7.2 %., Conclusions: Most of the water samples were of poor bacteriological quality. Most of the water samples had total coliforms. Three-quarters of households in Cajamarca, Huancavelica third and almost one fifth of Huanuco had the presence of E. coli in drinking water.