Physical Activity (PA) has been referred to by some studies as a protective factor against
several Non-Communicable Diseases and injuries (NCDs) – obesity, hypertension,
hyperglycemia, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. In addition, PA is of key importance
when it comes to the integral development of the individual, especially children and
adolescents. However, not all children and adolescents enjoy the right to movement, as
many of them do not have adequate space, stimulation or environment to move. There is
an increase in sedentary lifestyle in all age groups, accompanied by an increase in the
number of obese or overweight children and young people. Therefore, the study aims to
describe the level of physical activity, nutritional status, food consumption and screen
time of Quilombola children and adolescents. A descriptive study with a quantitative
approach was carried out. The present work is part of the umbrella project: “Evaluation
and monitoring of risk factors for the development of arterial hypertension in Quilombola
children and adolescents”, started in 2015. The participants were children and adolescents
aged 6 to 17 years old belonging to the community. To assess nutritional status, a
stadiometer and digital scale were used to measure height and body weight, respectively,
to calculate the Body Mass Index (BMI). Bioelectrical impedance (BIA) was used to
estimate fat and fat-free mass. The Physical Activity Level (PAL) was assessed using the
International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) long version. For the children, the
Questionnaire for the Evaluation of the Level of Physical Activity and Sedentary
Behavior of students aged 10 to 13 years was used. As for food consumption, the “food
consumption marker” questionnaire was used. As an extension activity, an Educational
Booklet on health education was proposed, which will be delivered to the community,
aiming at the understanding of children, adolescents and their parents regarding the
benefits of practicing PA and healthy eating. The study results show that 65.85% of the
participants were classified as eutrophic. It was found that a good part (40%) of the
interviewees do not eat breakfast and that the majority (71.43) eat in front of the TV. The
food most consumed by quilombola children and adolescents are cookies,
sweets/delicacies. As for screen time, 62.06% were classified as “acceptable”. Finally,
regarding the level of physical activity, there was divergence between data from children
(from 10 to 13) and adolescents (over 13), with 74.19% of children and 50.01% of
adolescents being classified as insufficiently active. The descriptive work presented
important data for the literature, especially regarding the BMI, which was adequate in
most subjects, in addition, the level of physical activity converges with other studies,
showing a tendency towards an increase in sedentary lifestyle in the population younger.
It is hoped that the Educational Notebook proposed by the researchers can serve the
interests of the Quilombolas and that it will be enforced in this population, in order to
alleviate the problems that the lack of movement, poor diet and high levels of fat can
cause.
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