Avaliação do consumo de alimentos lácteos como fonte de cálcio por escolares no município de Agudo / RS.

Abstract

Objective: Evaluate the consumption frequency of dairy foods as a source of calcium and the behaviors associated to this consumption. Methodology: It is about a cross-sectional study realized in a public school in the municipality of Agudo/RS with teenager students of the 4th, 5th and 6th years of elementary school. The data collection was performed through a Food Frequency Questionnaire (FFQ) composed by a list of dairy foods, as well as gender related objective questions, Breakfast consumption, presence of food allergy or intolerance, products added to milk and the consumption of foods that can alter the ingestion frequency of dairy foods. Results: 32 schoolers participated. 31.3% reported not consuming dairy foods in their daily basis, 15.6% consume only a portion and 53.1% consume two or more portions, without significative statistical differences between genders. Relating to Breakfast, 43.7% of the students reported to have it daily, being the higher percentage male. Among the products added to milk, the most cited were chocolate powder (68.8%), followed by coffee (59.4%). The regular consumption of soda was related by 59.4% of the teenagers, and artificial juice by 53.1%. Conclusion: The consumption of dairy foods as a source of calcium was more prevalent for two or more portions per day (53.1%), there being no significative gender related difference in consumption. The realization of Breakfast was more frequent between male teenagers. It was observed a high consumption of sugary drinks, that can be considered substitutes of the dairies in the adolescent routine.