Resumo O objetivo deste artigo é investigar associação entre a proveniência de lanches consumidos na escola, seu valor nutricional e o sobrepeso/obesidade. Estudo transversal com 3.930 escolares de 7-10 anos de idade, de Santa Catarina. O consumo alimentar na escola foi avaliado com R-24 horas ilustrado, e a origem dos lanches por entrevista estruturada. Refrigerantes e sucos artificiais, frituras, salgadinhos industrializados, lanches prontos, doces, guloseimas e biscoitos recheados foram classificados como “lanches de baixo valor nutricional”, enquanto frutas, sucos naturais, legumes, verduras e sopa de verduras foram os “lanches de alto valor nutricional”. Realizou-se regressão logística univariada e múltipla. O sobrepeso/obesidade se associou significativamente ao consumo de alimentos provenientes da cantina (OR = 1,34; IC = 1,07-1,68), na rede particular. Trazer alimentos de casa foi significativamente associado ao maior consumo de lanches de baixo valor nutricional, nas escolas públicas (OR = 1,56; IC = 1,32-1,83) e nas particulares (OR = 2,64; IC = 1,76-3,97). Os resultados apontam a necessidade de expansão de normativas que minimizem a disponibilidade de alimentos de baixo valor nutricional nas cantinas e que promovam educação nutricional envolvendo a comunidade escolar.
Abstract The scope of this article is to investigate the association between the source of snacks consumed in schools, their nutritional value and overweight/obesity. It involved a cross-sectional study with 3,930 schoolchildren aged between 7 and10 in the state of Santa Catarina. Food consumption in the school was assessed with an illustrated 24-hour dietary recall and the source of snacks was investigated by structured interview. Soft drinks and artificial fruit juices, fried and processed snacks, ready-to-eat or sweetened snacks, delicacies and stuffed biscuits were classified as “low nutritional value foods,” while fruit, natural fruit juices, vegetables, and vegetable soup were the “high nutritional value foods.” Univariate and multiple logistic regression was conducted. Overweight/obesity was significantly associated with higher food consumption from the school canteen (OR = 1.34; CI = 1.07-1.68) in private schools. Bringing food from home was significantly associated with increased consumption of low nutritional foods, both in public (OR = 1.56; CI = 1.32-1.83) and private (OR = 2.64; CI = 1.76-3.97) schools. The results highlight the need for tightening of norms to reduce the availability of low nutritional value food in canteens, and actions to promote nutritional education involving the school community.