ABSTRACT

Aim:   The aim of this study was to verify the relationship between school years and anthropometric and blood pressure parameters.

Methods:   Thisis a cross-sectional and analytical study carried out during March 2017 in a Brazilian public school with 97 students. The data were collected with sociodemographic characterization and anthropometric and blood pressure assessment forms. Regularly enrolled students (6^th to 9^th grade) of both sexes were included in the research. Data were analyzed using descriptive measures, Fisher's exact test, and ANOVA tests.

Results:  Most of the students were female (54.6%), enrolled in the 8th grade (31.5%), and with a mean age of 12.91 years ± 1.35 years. Furthermore, the researchers detected that 45.8% of the students were outside the normal range for weight. This variable was also associated (p=0.03) with the students' current year and the height, with which it showed a significant difference over the years. When comparing the average measurements, the researchers noted no difference between weight, body mass index, and systemic blood pressure.

Conclusion:   The nutritional disparity of malnourished or overweight children and adolescents can pose health risks with consequences in adulthood. Part of this phenomenon is due to nutritional transition. There is a demand for more effective strategies to reduce nutritional vulnerability in conjunction with the current public school health programs. Nursing plays an important role in the strategic actions to promote health in the school environment for the development and healthy growth of children and adolescents.

Keywords: Body-Mass-Index; Arterial-Pressure; Child-Health; School-Nursing; School-health-services; Nutritional-transition.