Nutritional Status and Food Neophobia Among Children and Adolescents Assisted by a Non-Governmental Organization

Introduction: food neophobia consists of resistance to trying new or different foods, which can lead to malnutrition, especially in childhood and adolescence. Aim: To analyze the nutritional status and the presence of food neophobia in children and adolescents assisted by a non-governmental organization. Methods: Cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach, carried out with 80 children and adolescents aged between 5 and 14 years. Guarantees were used to investigate the socioeconomic and health profile, food consumption and anthropometric measurements. The level of neophobia was measured by the Food Neophobia Scale. Student's t and Chi-Square tests were applied with a significance level of 5%. Results: Females accounted for 51.2% of the studied population and the mean age was 8.4 (± 2.31) years. The prevalence of overweight was 38.7%, of which 33.7% had food neophobia. The dietary pattern shows the significant presence of ultra-processed foods and low consumption of vegetables and fruits. Conclusion: The findings of this study showed a considerable percentage of overweight children and a significant presence of food neophobia. Thus, it becomes relevant to implement effective food and nutrition education actions with the aim of encouraging the promotion of adequate and healthy eating habits from childhood onwards.