Nutritional status of preschoolers in the public school system of Macaé: a panel study conducted between 2012-2014 and 2017-2019 in the context of the oil crisis and the implementation of educational actions based on the Dietary Guidelines for the Brazilian Population.

Objective: To assess the nutritional status of preschool children in the public school system of Macaé, Rio de Janeiro, at two apart times, separated by an interval of five years.

Methods: This is a panel study conducted between 2012-2014 and 2017-2019, including five schools, located in regions with different socioeconomic conditions. The samples covered 15.0% of the total number of students in the public early childhood education network in Macaé. Indicators of height-for-age and body mass index for age were evaluated. Summary measurements of anthropometric variables were calculated, with stratification by sex and age group. For comparisons between groups and surveys, Student's t-test or Mann-Whitney and chi-square tests were used.

Results: 1,028 and 1,005 preschoolers were evaluated in each period. The average age was 55.3 and 54.7 months, with 50.6% and 51.6% being girls. Height deficit was identified in 1.9% and 2.1% of the children, with no significant difference by sex, age group or between surveys. The prevalence of obesity was 5.1% and 4.7% among those under 5 years old, and 10.1% and 11.0% among the oldest, also with no difference between the surveys.

Conclusion: At both moments of the panel, the prevalence of nutritional deficit was low, and of obesity, relatively high. Despite the context of crisis in the local economy, the frequency of anthropometric indicators did not deteriorate between the surveys. The implementation of educational actions in schools, guided by the Dietary Guidelines for the Brazilian Population, may have contributed to protecting children's health.