Profile of the lifestyle and food consumption of children and adolescents assisted by a Social Assistance Organization

Lifestyle is a term used to refer to eating patterns, routines and living habits. The literature suggests that children and adolescents should consume three servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables daily. The Brazilian Society of Pediatrics (BSP) recommends at least 60 minutes/day of moderate to vigorous physical activity for the age group from 6 to 19 years. Regarding screen time exposure, up to two hours/day is suggested for children over five years of age. Objective: Evaluate the lifestyle profile and food consumption of children and adolescents who attend a Social Assis-tance Organization (SAO). Methods: Data were collected from February 2021 to November 2022 using nutritional anamnesis. This study was approved by the Ethics and Research Committee of Centro Universitário São Camilo (No. 5,361,156). Results: Fifty-seven children and adolescent, between 7 and 13 years of age, were assessed. As for diet, a high consumption of sugary drinks, sweets/treats, and ultra-processed foods was observed. About screen time, 59.6% of the study participants spent more than 2 hours a day. Although all the participants practiced physical activity, 64.9% were overweight. Conclusion: Most of the participants had poor diet quality and high screen time. Despite the good frequency of physical activity, there was still a prevalence of overweight and obesity, demonstrating that life-style guidelines are fundamental for quality of life and the prevention of comorbidities in this age group.