OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the prevalence of weight excess in children and adolescents attending public and private schools of Campinas, Southeast Brazil, according to age group. METHODS: Cross-sectional study that enrolled 3,130 students from 2010 to 2012. The weight and the height were measured and the body mass index (BMI) was calculated. The students were classified by BMI Z-score/age curves of the World Health Organization (WHO)-2007 (thinness, normal weight, overweight and obesity) and by age group (7-10, 11-14 and 15-18 years). Multinomial logistic regression analysis was applied to verify variables associated to overweight and obesity. RESULTS: Among the 3,130 students, 53.7% attended public schools and 53.4% were girls. The prevalence of weight excess (overweight or obesity) was higher in private schools (37.3%) than in public ones (32.9%) and among males (37.5%), compared to females (32.7%; p<0.05). The chance of having weight excess in children aged 7-10 years was more than twice of those over 15 years old (OR 2.4; 95%CI 2.0-3.0) and it was 60% higher for the group with 11-14 years old (OR 1.6; 95%CI 1.3-2.0). The chance of being obese was three times higher in 7-10 years old children than in the adolescents with 15-18 years old (OR 4.4; 95%CI 3.3-6.4) and 130% higher than the group with 11-14 years old (OR 2.3; 95%CI 1.6-3.2). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of weight excess in Campinas keeps increasing at an alarming rate, especially in the younger age group.

RESUMOObjetivo: Comparar a idade da menarca obtida pelo método recordatório conforme o tempo decorrido desde o evento para verificar a importância do viés de memória. Sujeitos e métodos: Foram avaliadas 1.671 meninas (7-18 anos) em escolas de Campinas-SP quanto à ocorrência da menarca, pelos métodos status quo (menarca: sim ou não) e recordatório, (data da menarca, para as que a referiram). A idade da ocorrência do evento obtida pelo status quo foi calculada pelo logito, que considera todo o grupo, e a obtida pelo recordatório, pela média da idade da menarca referida. Nesse grupo a idade da menarca foi obtida pela diferença entre a data do evento referida e a data de nascimento. As meninas que referiram menarca (883; 52,8%) foram divididas em quatro grupos de acordo com o tempo decorrido desde o evento. Para as análises foram utilizadas a ANOVA e a regressão logística, com significância de 0,05. Resultados: A idade da menarca, calculada pelo logito, foi de 12,14 anos (IC95% 12,[8][9][10][11][12]20). As médias das idades referidas pelo mé-todo recordatório foram: para as que menstruaram há 1 ano ou menos 12,26 anos (±1,14), entre > 1 e 2 anos 12,29 anos (±1,22), entre > 2 e 3 anos 12,23 anos (±1,27) e mais de 3 anos 11,55 anos (±1,24), p < 0,001. Conclusão: A idade da menarca obtida pelo método recordatório foi semelhante para as meninas que menstruaram há 3 anos ou menos (e se aproximou da idade calculada pelo logito); acima de 3 anos o viés de memória foi significante. Arq Bras Endocrinol Metab. 2014;58(4):394-7 Descritores Menarca; adolescente; viés ABSTRACT Objective: To compare the age at menarche obtained by recall method according to the time elapsed since the event, in order to verify the importance of the recall bias. Subjects and methods: Were evaluated 1,671 girls (7-18 years) at schools in Campinas-SP regarding the occurrence of menarche by the status quo method (menarche: yes or no) and the recall method (date of menarche, for those who mentioned it). The age at menarche obtained by the status quo method was calculated by logit, which considers the whole group, and the age obtained by the recall method was calculated as the average of the mentioned age at menarche. In this group, the age at menarche was obtained by the difference between the date of the event and the date of birth. Girls who reported menarche (883, 52.8%) were divided into four groups according to the time elapsed since the event. To analyze the results, we used ANOVA and logistic regression for the analysis, with a significance level of 0.05. Results: The age at menarche calculated by logit was 12.14 y/o (95% CI 12.08 to 12.20). Mean ages obtained by recall were: for those who experienced menarche within the previous year 12.26 y/o (±1.14), between > 1-2 years before, 12.29 y (±1.22); between > 2-3 years before, 12.23 y/o (±1.27); and more than 3 years before, 11.55y/o (±1.24), p < 0.001. Conclusion: The age at menarche obtained by the recall method was similar for girls who menstruated within the previous 3 years (and approaches th...