Summary

Objective: To evaluate, quantitative and qualitatively, the food intake of adolescents with overweight and obesity, all of hem students of public and private schools in the city of Cotia, SP, Brazil.

Metodology: Transversal study comprising 67 students (55.2% females) aged 10 to 18 years, who had filled in a food intake register of 3 alternating days and answered a closed question on the use of a weight loss diet. The Nutwin software was used to get energetic and macronutrient values, which were analysed according to DRIs/2002. For qualitative evaluation, standard meals and their frequencies had been determined.

Results: Homogeneous population, as regards sex and school, 64.2% with food intake below their energetic needs, of which 27.9% were on a weight loss diet, mainly of the female sex and private school. As to macronutrients, 85.1%, 62.7% and 98.5% presented values in the recommended range for carbohydrates, lipids and proteins, respectively. The less practiced meal was breakfast. It was noted that lunch and dinner were often replaced by snacks and pizzas. During the schooling period, 58.2% of the adolescents had consumed canteen food, the majority of them from public school.

Conclusion: Adolescent nutrition is qualitatively unbalanced, particularly as regards the energetic requirements and qualitatively as a whole, which points to the need for an early intervention, by means of nutritional education, keeping in mind the future health of these youngsters.