Relationship between nutritional status, eating habits, physical activity and self-perceived health in children
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.47197/retos.v80.118846Keywords:
childhood malnutrition, eating habits, nutritional status, physical activity, self-perceived healthAbstract
Introduction: Childhood malnutrition in Mexico presents as a doble burden in which undernutrition, overweight, and obesity coexist, a phenomenon particularly evident in socioeconomically vulnerable settings.
Objective: This study analyzed the relationship between nutritional status, eating habits, physical activity, and self-perceived health among third grade students from “Luis Donaldo Colosio Murrieta” Elementary School in Amozoc de Mota, Puebla, a public school serving low-income populations.
Methods: A cross-sectional, observational, descriptive-correlational study was conducted in 75 schoolchildren. Anthropometric assessment was performed to calculate BMI-Z according to WHO criteria. Questionnaires assessing eating habits and physical activity were administered. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, group comparisons according to nutritional status, and logistic regression models, to estimate the association between lifestyle habits and overweight/obesity.
Results: A high prevalence of excess weight was observed, with differences according to risk category and sex. The group classified as “At Risk” showed a higher frequency of food consumption, whereas children with obesity exhibited a combination of low physical activity, poorer dietary patterns, and overestimation of their health status.
Discussion: Physical activity emerged as the factor most strongly associated with nutritional status, particularly in girls. In boys, the combination of adequate physical activity and accurate perception of dietary habits acted as a protective factor.
Conclusions: These findings highlight the need for comprehensive school-based interventions aimed at promoting healthy habits and a more accurate perception of health.
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