Summary

Purpose: To trace the nutritional profile, body composition and eating habits of Brazilian adolescent models. Methods: The sample comprised 110 models, aged 11 to 19 years, divided into two age ranges. The evaluation consisted of anthropometric measures, determination of body mass index (BMI) and fat percentage. Evaluation of eating habits and preferences was performed by means of questionnaires. For the statistical analysis Student’s t test and the chi-square test were used. Significance was set at p<0.05. Results: Regarding age, 30 models (27%) were 11 to 14 years old and 80 (73%), 15 to 19 years. A statistically significant difference between the two age ranges was observed as regards anthropometric variables and fat percentage. As concerns the nutritional status, 13.3% of the 11 to 14-year-old models and 22.5% of the 15-19-year old ones presented low weight (p>0.05). Regarding food intake, it was found that the most daily consumed foods were rice, bread and sugar. Concerning food preferences, the foods prefered by the 11 to 14 year-old models were rice, beans, pasta, salad and fruits. The preferred foods of the 15 to 19-year-old models were rice, pasta, salad and chicken. Conclusion: In spite of the fact that this population has a lifestyle different from that of the population in general, besides professional demands regarding the body, these models are healthy adolescents.