Prevalence of extreme anthropometric measurements in children from Alagoas, Northeastern Brazil.

The objective of the study was to estimate the prevalence of extreme anthropometric measurements in children indicative of their nutritional status. A cross-sectional study was conducted in a random sample of 1,386 children under five in the state of Alagoas, northeastern Brazil. The prevalence of deficits (z <-2; WHO-2006 standard) for weight-for-age (underweight), weight-for-height (wasting) and height-for-age (stunting) were 2.9% (n = 40), 1.2% (n = 17), and 10.3% (n = 144), respectively. Excess of weight-for-height (overweight) was seen in 135 children (9.7%). In conclusion, the prevalences of underweight and wasting are epidemiologically irrelevant and stunting and overweight have a similar prevalence.