IMPACTS OF THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC ON THE BODY MASS INDEX (BMI) OF PEDIATRIC PATIENTS ASSISTED AT COMPLEX DE SAÚDE DR. WLADIMIR ARRUDA

Abstract

BACKGROUND: In recent years, children have become more sedentary,
associated with this, we have a change in the way of marketing food and a
significant increase in the consumption of ultra-processed foods, as a result we
have a transition from the high prevalence of malnutrition to a country where
malnutrition predominates. overweight and obesity. Obesity is characterized by
the generalized or localized accumulation of fatty tissue in the body caused by a
positive imbalance in energy balance. In March 2020, Brazil began to face a
pandemic generated by Covid-19, in which the first preventive measure was the
social isolation regime, which led many families to eat poorly and reduce their
physical activities. The present study aims to analyze the impact of the Covid-19
pandemic on patients treated at the Pediatrics at Complexo de Saúde Dr.
Wladimir Arruda and its correlation with the Body Mass Index. METHODOLOGY:
this is an observational study, based on the medical records of pediatric patients
at the Dr. Wladimir Arruda, to know the incidence of BMI of patients, between the
years 2019 and 2022. The selected medical records were separated according
to their body mass index (BMI), age and gender. statistics, all set at 0.05 or 5%,
the level of significance. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION: after the statistical
analysis, we noticed that during the studied period, most of the patients had an
increase in their BMI. The results did not show significance, however, they
suggest that the increase was greater in patients aged over 10 years when
compared to other ages. CONCLUSION: most patients had an increase in their
BMI during the years 2019 to 2022, we cannot say that they became obese, as
BMI increases according to the growth of children.
Keywords: Childhood obesity. Body Mass Index. Pandemic. Covid-19.