CONCORDÂNCIA ENTRE O ESTADO NUTRICIONAL AFERIDO E O PERCEBIDO PELAS MÃES EM CRIANÇAS PRÉ-ESCOLARES

OBJECTIVE: To verify the agreement between nutritional status perceived by mothers and that diagnosed in preschool children, by providing the differences according to children's sex and age. METHODS: Study with data from a cohort of 269 preschool children assisted in public daycare centers of Campina Grande, Paraiba (Northeast Brazil). Children's information about their date of birth, sex and nutritional status (weight/stature Z scores) was collected. Furthermore, the mothers were asked about their perception of children's weight. The diagnostic agreement between the measured nutritional status and that perceived by mothers was assessed through the weighted Kappa test, with a 5% significance level. RESULTADOS: O percentual de desacertos entre o estado nutricional percebido pelas maes e o diagnosticado foi de 32,7%, com Kappa de 0,122, considerado desprezivel. Destacou-se, principalmente, o excesso de peso subestimado (69,6%). A percepcao materna do sobrepeso e o diagnosticado apresentou maior concordância nas criancas de maior faixa etaria (36-59 meses versus 24-35 meses) e nas meninas. CONCLUSIONS: The study regarding maternal perception of preschool children's nutritional status showed the difficulty that mothers face in recognizing the real nutritional status of their children, especially the underestimation of overweight. Maternal perception of overweight in children is misrepresented in boys and in younger children with more importance.