Introduction

In Chile, childhood obesity is a public health problem, being the bad eating habits and the decrease of physical activity the main causes. The objective of this study was to explore the association between nutritional status, cardiovascular risk and breakfast consumption in schoolchildren in Santiago, Chile.

Material and Methods

Cross-sectional study. The sample consisted of 434 schoolchildren of both sexes from an educational establishment in Santiago, Chile. The nutritional status was determined with the evaluation of weight, height and waist circumference. To describe the breakfast consumption, a survey developed for this study was applied.

Results

30.2% of school children are obese and 26.7% are overweight according to BMI. 25.3% are classified as having abdominal obesity risk and 31.2% have abdominal obesity according to waist circumference. 18.9% do not eat breakfast every day. Compared to the children who always eat breakfast, the risk of obesity was higher in those who never consumed (Odds ratio (OR): 1.9 [(IC) 95%: 0.91-2.97], p=0.11), the same as the risk of abdominal obesity (Odds ratio (OR): 1.66 [(IC) 95%: 0.91-2.97], p=0.32).

Conclusions

There is a high prevalence of excess malnutrition accompanied by a significant percentage of schoolchildren who do not eat breakfast daily. Schoolchildren who do not eat breakfast every day have a higher risk of obesity.

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