Estado nutricional de crianças pré-escolares: um estudo descritivo sobre hábitos alimentares, conhecimento e comportamento parental

Abstract

Child nutrition is essential for healthy development, with lasting impacts on health. Parental behavior directly influences children's eating habits and nutritional status, highlighting the importance of strategies that promote healthy choices during childhood. This study aimed to describe the eating habits, knowledge and parental behavior during meals of preschool children in Fortaleza, Ceará. A descriptive, cross-sectional, and quantitative study was conducted using baseline data from a multicenter research project involving 732 children. Measurements included demographic characteristics, eating habits, food security, parental behavior during meals, and nutritional knowledge. The sample indicated a prevalence of 15.5% overweight/obesity among children, with inadequate eating patterns, such as high consumption of ultra-processed foods and low intake of fruits and vegetables. In terms of food security, 54.3% of families experienced food insecurity, with no statistically significant association with eating habits. Parental behavior was ambivalent: positive practices, such as encouraging fruit consumption, coexisted with inadequate behaviors, such as using food as a reward. Caregivers' nutritional knowledge was assessed as good, with gaps related to dietary iron sources. The study highlights the role of parents and nursing in promoting healthy eating practices and suggests the need for educational interventions and public policies to improve child nutrition and reduce inequalities.