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Worldwide, about 22 million children under five years old are overweight. Environmental factors are the main trigger for this epidemic. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the eating and physical activity habits in a cohort of eight-year-old children in Pelotas, Brazil. Eating habits were assessed based on the Ten Steps to Healthy Eating proposed by the Ministry of Health. To assess the level of physical activity, the physical activity questionnaire for children and adolescents (PAQ-C) was used. Of the 616 interviewed children at 8 years, it was observed that 50.3% were male; 70.3% were white and just over half belonged to economic class C. None of the children were classified as very active and none acceded to a daily consumption of six servings of the cereals, tubers, and roots. The steps that had higher adhesion were 8 (do not add salt to ready foods); 4 (consumption of beans, at least 5 times per week) and 1 (have 3 meals and 2 snacks per day), respectively. The high prevalence of physical inactivity and low level of healthy eating habits confirm the importance of strategies to support and encourage the practice of physical activity and healthy eating among youth.

Introduction: the Metabolic Syndrome is a group of disorders and it has gaining importance due to its association with the subsequent development of cardiovascular diseases., Objectives: to determine the prevalence of risk factors associated to the metabolic syndrome in children from a cohort in Southern Brazil., Methods: a prospective cohort study with hospital screening of all births (2741) occurred from September 2002 to May 2003, monitoring a random sample of 30.0% at one, three and six months and eight years old. During the visit at the age of eight years, a questionnaire containing questions related to nutrition, physical activity and family history of chronic diseases. Also, weight, height and the waist circumference were measured. Descriptive and bivariate analyzes between independent variables and the outcome were performed. Results y discussion: from the 616 studied children, 51.3% were male, 70.3% had white, about half belonged to the economic class C, 20.5% were overweight and 16.9% were obese. There was high prevalence of family history for hypertension (81.5%), and was observed that 20.7% of the eutrophic children showed elevated waist circumference., Conclusion: the high prevalence of risk factors for the metabolic syndrome found in the studied children reinforces the importance of proper medical history including family history. It is suggested to include the measurement of waist circumference in routine pediatric care., (Copyright AULA MEDICA EDICIONES 2014. Published by AULA MEDICA. All rights reserved.)

Objectives: To assess the prevalence of television (TV) viewing habits and their association with childhood sedentary lifestyle and overweight in 8-year-old children, from a cohort in a city in Southern Brazil., Methods: A prospective cohort study with hospital screening of all births that occurred from September of 2002 to May of 2003. This study refers to a cross-sectional analysis of data collected during the cohort's follow-up conducted at 8 years of age. To evaluate the level of physical activity, a physical activity questionnaire for children and adolescents was used (PAQ-C), during the consultation at 8 years of age., Results: Of the 616 interviewed children, a prevalence of sedentary lifestyle>70% was found, as well as the habit of watching TV for more than two hours a day in 60% of the sample, regardless of gender (p=0.30), income (p=0.57), or family socioeconomic level (p=0.90). The daily time spent watching TV was inversely associated with physical activity (p<0.05) and positively associated with excess weight (p<0.01). Regarding physical activity, running was the most frequently practiced sports modality among the population., Conclusions: Considering the high prevalence of sedentary lifestyle and children who watch TV for an excessive period of time, it is necessary to motivate such individuals to perform interactive activities, as well as promote a more active lifestyle, by decreasing the time children spend in front of the TV., (Copyright © 2015 Sociedade Brasileira de Pediatria. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.)

This article seeks to analyze the intention of mothers to breastfeed and the prospects for introduction of complementary food in the first year of life. A cross-sectional study was conducted from September to December 2010 at the Teaching Hospital of the Federal University of Pelotas in the state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Data were obtained through a standardized questionnaire, containing questions about socioeconomic conditions, breastfeeding and complementary feeding. 170 mothers were enlisted, with a mean age of 26.5 ± 5.8 years old. Among them, 99% had received prenatal medical care and only 49% recalled having received information about breastfeeding and/or supplementary feeding during the care. All of the mothers intended to breastfeed exclusively for a mean time of 5.5 ± 1.6 months. Years of schooling, mothers who do not work outside the home, lower maternal age and receiving information about breastfeeding during prenatal care were associated with longer duration of exclusive breastfeeding. Regarding complementary food, bean soup was the food most intended for the child's first year of life, with an acceptance of 99.41%, while tea was the one with the earliest intention. The duration of breastfeeding was below the WHO guidelines, and complementary food was considered to be misguided.