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Background: The double burden of malnutrition currently presents new and complex public health challenges, increasingly affecting vulnerable populations, with negative social consequences. Objective: To evaluate the interrelationships of biological and social factors with anthropometric indicators of the nutritional status of children under 5 years of age. Method: It is a cross-sectional study carried out in two municipalities in the state of Paraíba, with children assisted by the Family Health Strategy. Factors representative of the immediate, intermediate and basic causes of children’s nutritional status were analyzed, through canonical correlation analysis. Results: Of the 413 children who participated in the study, 9.4% were diagnosed stunting and 16.5% were overweight/obese. The linear growth of child was associated with birth weight, gestational age, maternal height, and socioeconomic level of the family. Overweight/obesity was related to the child’s age, maternal body mass index, the benefit of the Bolsa Família and social support. Conclusions: The association of child characteristics at birth, maternal nutritional status, and social environment with the important proportions of stunting and overweight/obesity observed support the improvement of the child’s nutritional status with a focus on prevention from the early stages of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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