Six out of ten Brazilian children with less than two years have already eaten biscuit, cookie or cake and 32% already drank soda or industrialized juice. These foods should be consumed after that age, and in moderation, according to guidance of nutritionists and pediatricians. The information is from the National Health Survey (PNS) 2013, in partnership with the Ministry of Health and the results are being published on Friday 21st, in Rio. The researchers travelled 62,658 households across the nation in 2013 and applied questionnaires about disabilities, health of the elderly, women and children up to 2 years.
The publication also brings alarming data on weight, abdominal fat and blood pressure of adult population. A comparison between the Researches of Family Budgets (POF) carried out by IBGE in 2002/2003 and 2008/2009 with PNS 2013 shows the evolution of overweight and obesity of Brazilians over 18 years: from 2002 to 2013, the Brazilian overweight index increased from 42.4% to 57.3% in the case of men, and 42.1% to 59.8% in women; obesity increased from 9.3% to 17.5%, among men, and 14% to 25.2%, among women.
Other data studied is about breastfeeding: only 49.4% of babies were still breastfed by mothers between nine and twelve months, and the Ministry of Health recommends that it goes up to 2 years, at least. Breast milk, among other benefits, protects children of metabolic syndromes.
Still about children, IBGE studied that 24.1% 1 year babies had not taken the doses of the quadrivalent vaccine, which prevents diphtheria, tetanus, whooping cough and meningitis. It was found that neonatal exams need to have greater coverage: 29.2% of newborns did not do the test of “pezinho” in the first week of life (the test identifies early metabolic diseases, genetic or infectious), 44% did not the “orelhinha” in the first month (for detection of congenital deafness) and 48.9% did not make the “olhinho” in the first month (for observation of ocular changes).
Roberta Pennafort
Source: Estadão Conteúdo.
Image: www.oconsumidor.com.br
