Objectives. To describe the qualitative aspects of the notifiable diseases surveillance system of the Gauteng Province, South Africa; to conduct a cross-sectional survey on knowledge and practices pertaining to disease notification among private sector primary health care providers in Gauteng Province; to measure the degree of underreporting of notifiable diseases versus positive laboratory diagnoses using malaria as a cases study; and to identify the correctible short-comings in the Gauteng Health Department’s diseases surveillance system and to recommend ways of addressing these to improve the system and its performance. Design. This is an evaluation study consisting of both the qualitative aspects and quantitative descriptive components of the notifiable disease system in Gauteng Province. The study designs used for the qualitative description were literature and policy review and a semi-structured interview with communicable disease coordinators. The quantitative research comprised of a telephonic questionnaire administered to a random sample of private general practioners and secondary data analysis comparing malaria cases notified to the Gauteng Provincial Department of Health with public and private sector laboratory data and clinical surveillance data. Setting. The study setting was the Gauteng Provincial Health Department and public and private health care service providers in Gauteng Province. The study period extended from 1 January to 30 June 2006. Subjects. The subjects of the study were the Gauteng Health Department’s disease surveillance system, public and private sector health care providers including private primary health care practitioners. Outcome measures. Outcome measures for the qualitative system description were the status of selected system attributes namely usefulness, simplicity, flexibility, data quality, acceptability, sensitivity, positive predictive value, representativeness and stability. Outcome measures for the knowledge and practice survey of private general practitioners were reporting compliance and knowledge of notifiable conditions. The primary outcome measure for the secondary data analysis was the proportion of laboratory diagnosed cases of malaria notified to the provincial health department. Results. The notifiable disease surveillance system in Gauteng is deemed useful by the public sector communicable disease coordinators but less so by the private sector general practitioners. Data quality as indicated by completeness of residential detail reporting on meningococcal notifications varied between 29% and 57% by district. Thirty seven percent of general practitioners report compliance with notifications and the mean score for knowledge on notification status of medical conditions was 56%. The sensitivity of notifications of malaria compared with laboratory notifications was 26% with relatively higher notification rates where cases occurred in children under 15 years of age. Conclusions. The notifiable disease surveillance system in Gauteng Province is relatively flexible and reasonably structured however this research suggests that there is suboptimal use of the information for local action in certain areas. Private General Practitioners self-report a low level of compliance citing time constraints and lack of motivation; knowledge of the notification status of selected medical conditions is lower than expected. The completeness and accuracy of notification data, as demonstrated in malaria notifications, is insufficient to gauge a true picture of burden of disease in the province. / Dissertation (MMed)--University of Pretoria, 2007. / School of Health Systems and Public Health (SHSPH) / Unrestricted

This report examines the influence of parent’s migration status on childhood mortality in sending households in the South African rural sub-district of Agincourt. A survival analysis of a cohort of children born in Agincourt between 1 January 1997 and 31 December 2003 was conducted using the Cox proportional hazards model to estimate the influence of parent’s migration status on under-5 year mortality. Starting with a baseline census in 1992, the Agincourt Health and Demographic Surveillance System (AHDSS) data are collected and updated every 12 months wherein fieldworkers visit each household at the site to record the vital events, including births, deaths, and migrations that occurred since the previous census. Results of the survival analysis show that children born in households where the father was a temporary migrant while the mother remained at the rural household had a 35% lower risk of death compared to children in households where both parents were non-migrant (RR=0.647, 95% CI 0.439-0.954). The results also reveal that, controlling for parent migration status, children in single-parent (mother only) households had about 28% higher death hazard than children in two-parent households (RR=1.284, 95% CI 0.936-1.673). The findings suggest that temporary labour migration could be a means to improving household incomes and quality of life for children, particularly where the father is a temporary migrant while the mother remains behind taking care of the children. At the same time, children whose fathers are not indicated appear to be worse off whether their parents are temporary migrants or not.

Adolescent obesity is an area of growing public health concern. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducts surveys through their Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System (YRBSS) every two years to monitor a variety of health risk factors and behaviors among high school and middle school students. The YRBSS compiles information about obesity and BMI percentile, among many other factors. We accessed a combined dataset available on the YRBSS website which includes all data collected from high school students’ surveys from 1991 to 2013. Due to updating of questionnaires and adding of variables over the years, some variables only appear in the most recent years, limiting trend analysis to the timeframe in which the variable of interest was included. We analyzed the linear and quadratic trends in BMI percentile, obesity, and overweight rates in the national Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) from 1999 to 2013 and in the Tennessee YRBS from 2003 to 2013. Each variable was stratified by age and race to observe differences among groups. National trends show an increase in average BMI percentiles overall from 1999 to 2007, a decrease between 2007 and 2009, then another increase between 2009 and 2013. Tennessee trends show a dramatic increase in average BMI percentile overall from 2003 to 2007, then a decrease between 2007 and 2013. Since 2005, Tennessee has maintained a higher average BMI percentile (64.23, 66.37, 65.00, 64.96, 64.23) than the national average (63.47, 64.23, 62.81, 63.00, 63.51) for each recorded year, however, the decreasing trends in Tennessee and increasing trends in the nation have brought the average BMI percentiles of each to comparable rates. There is literature to support the variation of BMI among young, middle-aged, and elderly individuals. However, there is currently little evidence of differences in BMI percentiles, obesity, or overweight rates between different age groups of high school students. We expect to see little, if any, differences across different age groups of high school students in this study both nationally and at the state level. Racial and ethnic disparities exist for a variety of health conditions and outcomes. Many conditions, including obesity, disproportionately affect minority populations. We expect to see differences in BMI percentiles, obesity, and overweight rates across different races at both nationally and at the state level.

Background: The challenge of research in resource-poor settings remains a profound concern and is closely linked to African social development. Work of this thesis spans the end of apartheid and first decade of the democratic era in South Africa, along with emergence of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. It also covers the founding decade of the INDEPTH Network. Aims: Through appraising health and population research in a rural southern African sub-district over the past decade, to evaluate the utility of health and socio-demographic surveillance in rural African settings for: • capturing the dynamics of health, population and social transitions • supporting a mix of research designs, and • contributing to policy and programme development and evaluation. To extend this appraisal by examining the multi-site opportunities offered by the INDEPTH Network. Methods: Work was sited in the Agincourt sub-district, a heavily populated border area of rural north-eastern South Africa. Health and socio-demographic surveillance, introduced in 1992, involved prospective follow-up of the entire sub-district population of 70,000 people (including some 30% Mozambican immigrants) who lived in 11,700 households and 21 villages. Annual census rounds systematically updated household membership and recorded all vital events (births, deaths and migrations) since the previous census. A maternity history was asked of women of reproductive age and a verbal autopsy carried out on all deaths registered. The resulting ‘data and research platform’ – a core feature of all INDEPTH field sites – provided data for computation of trends in vital events and supported an extensive interdisciplinary project portfolio. The population under surveillance can be disaggregated into cohorts selected by age, sex or other criteria. Analyses are possible at multiple levels (individual, family/household or neighborhood) and can include socioeconomic factors. Findings: The Agincourt community experienced a serious worsening of mortality among most age-sex groups, rapidly declining fertility to near replacement level, and changing patterns of labour migration. This resulted in major changes in population structure and household composition. The rising burden of chronic disease involved both chronic infectious illness (HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis) and non-communicable disorders (such as stroke and related vascular disease). The burden of illness requiring chronic care increased disproportionately to that needing acute care. Potential contributions of field sites based on health and socio-demographic surveillance to local and national health policy are considerable yet remain underexploited. Interpretation: Rural South and southern Africa is in the midst of multiple, interrelated transitions with implications for health, social and development sectors. Health and socio-demographic surveillance systems are effective research instruments that can capture the rapidly-changing dynamics of health and social transitions in developing settings. Similarly, they can support a range of observational and intervention study designs including policy evaluations. The INDEPTH Network should boost much-needed comparative research; yet singly, and as a group, many of these sites have yet to fulfil their undoubted potential.

Background: The epidemic of chronic diseases is largely neglected. Although a threatening burden of chronic diseases is emerging, developing public health efforts for their prevention and control is not yet a priority for trans-national and national health policy makers. Understanding the population burden of risk factors which predict chronic diseases is an important step in reducing the impact of the diseases themselves. Objective: This thesis responds to the increasing burden of chronic diseases worldwide, and aims to illustrate the gap in chronic disease risk factor research in developing countries. The thesis describes and analyses the distribution of chronic disease risk factors in a rural setting in Indonesia. It also describes how smoking, one of the most common risk factors, is viewed by rural Javanese boys. Ultimately, therefore, this thesis aims to contribute to policy and programme recommendations for community interventions in a rural setting in Indonesia Methods: The studies were conducted in Purworejo District, where a Demographic Surveillance System (DSS) has been running since 1994. The Purworejo DSS is part of the INDEPTH network (International Network of field sites for continuous Demographic Evaluation of Populations and Their Health in developing countries). Two representative cross-sectional studies (in 2001 and 2005) were conducted to assess the chronic disease risk factors (including smoking, elevated blood pressure, and overweight and obesity). The first cross-sectional study was followed up in 2002 and 2004. In each study, a total of 3 250 participants (approximately 250 individuals in each sex and age group among 15–74 year olds stratified into 10-year intervals) were randomly selected from the surveillance database from each enumeration area in the surveillance area. Instruments were adopted from the WHO STEPS survey and adapted to local setting. Since many Indonesians start to smoke at an earlier age, a qualitative study using a focus group discussion approach was conducted among school boys aged 13-17 years old to describe and explore beliefs, norms, and values about smoking in a rural setting in Java. Result: Both the rural and urban populations in Purworejo face an unequal distribution of risk factors for chronic diseases. The burden among the most well-off group in the rural area has already reached a level similar to that found in the urban area. Most of the risk factors increased in all age, sex and socioeconomic groups during the period of 2001 to 2005. However, women and the poorest group experienced the greatest increase in risk factor prevalence. The qualitative study showed that cultural resistance against women smoking in Indonesia remains strong. Smoking is being viewed as a culturally internalised habit that signifies transition into maturity and adulthood for boys. Smoking is utilised as a means for socialisation and signifies better socioeconomic status. The use of tobacco in the construction of masculinity underlines the importance of gender specific interventions. National tobacco control policy should emphasise a smoking free society as the norm, especially among boys and men, and regulations regarding the banning of smoking should be enforced at all levels and areas of the community. Within the demographic surveillance setting, it is possible to assess the population and health dynamics. Utilisation of a standardised methodology across sites in INDEPTH will produce comparable population-based data in developing countries. Such comparisons are important in global health. A comparison of smoking transition patterns between a Vietnamese DSS and an Indonesian DSS shows that Indonesian men started smoking regularly earlier and ceased less than Vietnamese men. Compared with Vietnam, which has already signed and ratified the Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, tobacco control activities in Indonesia are still deficient. Conclusion: The thesis concludes that the rural population is not spared from the emerging burden of chronic disease risk factors. The patterning of risks across different socioeconomic groups provides a macro picture of the vicious cycle between poverty and chronic diseases. Understanding of risk factors in a local context through a qualitative study provides insight into cultural aspects relating to risk factor adoption, and will allow the fostering and tailoring of culturally appropriate interventions. Combining data from demographic surveillance sites with the WHO STEP approach to chronic disease risk factor Surveillance addresses basic epidemiological questions on chronic diseases. The use of such data is a powerful advocacy tool in public health decision-making for chronic disease prevention in developing countries. With substantial existing evidence on the effectiveness of chronic disease prevention and intervention programmes, it is vital that Indonesia to starts planning intervention programmes to control the impending chronic disease epidemic, and most importantly, to translate all this evidence into public health action. Keywords: chronic disease, risk factor, demographic surveillance system, smoking, elevated blood pressure, overweight and obesity, population-based intervention

Thesis (M.A.(Population and Reproductive Health Research))--Mahidol University, 2005. / LICL has E-Thesis 0004 ; please contact computer services.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Demography))--Mahidol University, 2007. / LICL has E-Thesis 0024 ; please contact computer services.

Introdução: A Vigilância Alimentar e Nutricional (VAN) foi proposta mundialmente em meados da década de 60 e foi consolidada na década de 70 através de três importantes eventos internacionais: a Conferência Mundial de Alimentos (1974), a Conferência de Alma-Ata (1978), e a proposta de uma Revolução pela Sobrevivência e Desenvolvimento da criança (1983). No Brasil, desde os anos 90, o Ministério da Saúde (MS) tem incentivado o monitoramento alimentar e nutricional da população atendida pela Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS), vinculado às rotinas dos serviços, através do Sistema de Vigilância Alimentar e Nutricional (SISVAN). Desde então, diversos projetos de implantação do SISVAN vem sendo desenvolvidos nos municípios brasileiros. No entanto, há poucos estudos avaliando as informações registradas no SISVAN, bem como sua cobertura no país. Objetivos: 1) Avaliar para 2006 a cobertura do Sistema de Vigilância Alimentar e Nutricional (SISVAN- Ministério da Saúde - MS) nas Coordenadorias Regionais de Saúde do Rio Grande do Sul (CRSs) e no Estado; 2) Avaliar a concordância entre as classificações nutricionais registradas pelos profissionais no sistema com aquelas geradas por este estudo e; 3) Caracterizar o estado nutricional de crianças de 0-10 anos acompanhadas pelo SISVAN no RS no referido ano. Métodos: Estudo transversal descritivo de base secundária em que se analisaram dados de 63.320 crianças de 0-10 anos acompanhadas pelo SISVAN em 2006 no RS. A cobertura do sistema foi avaliada pela comparação do total de crianças acompanhadas pelo sistema em 2006 com a estimativa da população de menores de 10 anos coberta pela Estratégia de Saúde da Família nos municípios gaúchos no mesmo ano (DATASUS, 2010). A classificação do estado nutricional informado pelo profissional em 2006 no sistema [que foi baseada no índice peso/idade, em percentis, com referência na curva de crescimento do NCHS (OMS, 1983)], foi recalculada neste estudo a partir das medidas de peso, idade e sexo constantes no banco de dados, a fim de avaliar concordância entre classificações. O estado nutricional foi avaliado segundo a referência da Organização Mundial da Saúde (WHO, 2006). Foram considerados déficits nutricionais quando os índices peso/idade (P/I), massa corporal para idade (IMC/I) e estatura para idade (E/I) tinham valores de escore z inferiores a -2, e excesso de peso valores de IMC/I com escore z maior ou igual a +2. Foram calculadas freqüências relativas e absolutas, médias e desvios-padrão das variáveis, utilizando-se os testes t de Student para amostras independentes, qui-quadrado de Pearson e o coeficiente Kappa ponderado para comparação de médias, proporções e concordância de classificações, respectivamente. Resultados: A cobertura do sistema no RS foi de 10,54% (oscilando de 2,2% a 21,0% entre CRSs). O valor do coeficiente kappa ponderado entre classificações nutricionais foi de 0,426 para o RS (oscilando de 0,135 a 0,661 entre CRSs). As freqüências dos desvios nutricionais foram: déficit E/I: 9,1% (menores de 5 anos) e 5,8% (5-10 anos); déficit P/I: 3,7% (menores de 5 anos) e 4,0% (5-10 anos); déficit IMC/I: 3,1% (menores de 5 anos) e 2,8% (5-10 anos); e excesso de peso: 9,4% (menores de 5 anos) e 7,9% (5-10 anos). Conclusões: Aponta-se o excesso de peso e o déficit estatural entre as crianças acompanhadas pelo SISVAN, mas requere-se cautela à extrapolação dos resultados, devido às baixas cobertura do sistema e concordância das classificações nutricionais registradas. / Introduction: The Nutritional and Food Surveillance System was proposed internationally in the mid 60‟s and was consolidated in the 1970‟s through three important international events: The World Food Conference (1974), the Alma-Ata Conference (1978) and the proposition for a Child Survival and Development Revolution (1983). In Brazil, since the 1990‟s, the Ministry of Health has encouraged the nutritional and food monitoring of the population treated by the Primary Healthcare Service, associated to service routines, through the Nutritional and Food Surveillance System (SISVAN). Since then several projects for implementing SISVAN have been developed in Brazilians cities. However, there are few studies assessing the information recorded in SISVAN, as well as its coverage across the country. Objectives: 1) To assess, in 2006, the coverage of Nutritional and Food Surveillance System (SISVAN-MH) in the Regional Health Coordination Offices (CRSs) of the Rio Grande do Sul (RS) and in the whole State; 2) To assess the agreement between nutritional classifications recorded by the professionals in the system and those provided by these study; 3) To characterize the nutritional status of children from age 0 to 10 followed by SISVAN in RS in these year. Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study of secondary database analyzing data from 63,320 children aged 0-10 followed by SISVAN in 2006, in RS. The system coverage was assessed by comparing the total number of children followed by the system in 2006 with the estimate for the population of children below age 10 covered by the Strategy of Health´s Family in the RS cities at the same year (DATASUS, 2010). The nutritional status, stated by professionals in 2006 in the system [based on the weight/age index, in percentiles according to the reference from the NCHS(OMS, 1983)] was recalculated in this study using weight measurements, age and sex data from the database in order to evaluate the agreement between classifications. The nutritional status was evaluated according to the reference from the World Health Organization (WHO, 2006). The score z values smaller than -2 for the indexes weight-for-age (W/A), BMI-for-age(BMI/A) and height-for-age (H/A) were considered nutritional deficits. The score z values greater then +2 for the index BMI/A were considered overweight. Relative and absolute frequencies, means and standard deviations of variables were calculated, using Student‟s t test for independent samples, Pearson‟s chi square test and weighted kappa coefficient to compare means, ratios and classification agreement, respectively. Results: The system coverage in RS was 10.54% (ranging from 2,2% to 21,0% across CRSs). The value of the weighted kappa coefficient between nutritional classifications was 0.426 in RS (ranging from 0.135 to 0.661 across CRSs). The frequencies of nutritional deviations were: H/A deficit: 9.1% (children below age 5) and 5.8% (children aged 5 to 10 years old); W/A deficit: 3.7% (children below age 5) and 4.0% (children aged 5 to 10 years old); BMI/A deficit: 3.1% (children below age 5) and 2.8% (children aged 5 to 10 years old); and overweight: 9.4% (children below age 5) and 7.9% (children aged 5 to 10 years old); Conclusions: The results showed the overweight and the height deficit among children followed by SISVAN, but they should be interpreted with caution because of low coverage of SISVAN in RS and the poor quality of anthropometric data registered.

Introdução: A Vigilância Alimentar e Nutricional (VAN) foi proposta mundialmente em meados da década de 60 e foi consolidada na década de 70 através de três importantes eventos internacionais: a Conferência Mundial de Alimentos (1974), a Conferência de Alma-Ata (1978), e a proposta de uma Revolução pela Sobrevivência e Desenvolvimento da criança (1983). No Brasil, desde os anos 90, o Ministério da Saúde (MS) tem incentivado o monitoramento alimentar e nutricional da população atendida pela Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS), vinculado às rotinas dos serviços, através do Sistema de Vigilância Alimentar e Nutricional (SISVAN). Desde então, diversos projetos de implantação do SISVAN vem sendo desenvolvidos nos municípios brasileiros. No entanto, há poucos estudos avaliando as informações registradas no SISVAN, bem como sua cobertura no país. Objetivos: 1) Avaliar para 2006 a cobertura do Sistema de Vigilância Alimentar e Nutricional (SISVAN- Ministério da Saúde - MS) nas Coordenadorias Regionais de Saúde do Rio Grande do Sul (CRSs) e no Estado; 2) Avaliar a concordância entre as classificações nutricionais registradas pelos profissionais no sistema com aquelas geradas por este estudo e; 3) Caracterizar o estado nutricional de crianças de 0-10 anos acompanhadas pelo SISVAN no RS no referido ano. Métodos: Estudo transversal descritivo de base secundária em que se analisaram dados de 63.320 crianças de 0-10 anos acompanhadas pelo SISVAN em 2006 no RS. A cobertura do sistema foi avaliada pela comparação do total de crianças acompanhadas pelo sistema em 2006 com a estimativa da população de menores de 10 anos coberta pela Estratégia de Saúde da Família nos municípios gaúchos no mesmo ano (DATASUS, 2010). A classificação do estado nutricional informado pelo profissional em 2006 no sistema [que foi baseada no índice peso/idade, em percentis, com referência na curva de crescimento do NCHS (OMS, 1983)], foi recalculada neste estudo a partir das medidas de peso, idade e sexo constantes no banco de dados, a fim de avaliar concordância entre classificações. O estado nutricional foi avaliado segundo a referência da Organização Mundial da Saúde (WHO, 2006). Foram considerados déficits nutricionais quando os índices peso/idade (P/I), massa corporal para idade (IMC/I) e estatura para idade (E/I) tinham valores de escore z inferiores a -2, e excesso de peso valores de IMC/I com escore z maior ou igual a +2. Foram calculadas freqüências relativas e absolutas, médias e desvios-padrão das variáveis, utilizando-se os testes t de Student para amostras independentes, qui-quadrado de Pearson e o coeficiente Kappa ponderado para comparação de médias, proporções e concordância de classificações, respectivamente. Resultados: A cobertura do sistema no RS foi de 10,54% (oscilando de 2,2% a 21,0% entre CRSs). O valor do coeficiente kappa ponderado entre classificações nutricionais foi de 0,426 para o RS (oscilando de 0,135 a 0,661 entre CRSs). As freqüências dos desvios nutricionais foram: déficit E/I: 9,1% (menores de 5 anos) e 5,8% (5-10 anos); déficit P/I: 3,7% (menores de 5 anos) e 4,0% (5-10 anos); déficit IMC/I: 3,1% (menores de 5 anos) e 2,8% (5-10 anos); e excesso de peso: 9,4% (menores de 5 anos) e 7,9% (5-10 anos). Conclusões: Aponta-se o excesso de peso e o déficit estatural entre as crianças acompanhadas pelo SISVAN, mas requere-se cautela à extrapolação dos resultados, devido às baixas cobertura do sistema e concordância das classificações nutricionais registradas. / Introduction: The Nutritional and Food Surveillance System was proposed internationally in the mid 60‟s and was consolidated in the 1970‟s through three important international events: The World Food Conference (1974), the Alma-Ata Conference (1978) and the proposition for a Child Survival and Development Revolution (1983). In Brazil, since the 1990‟s, the Ministry of Health has encouraged the nutritional and food monitoring of the population treated by the Primary Healthcare Service, associated to service routines, through the Nutritional and Food Surveillance System (SISVAN). Since then several projects for implementing SISVAN have been developed in Brazilians cities. However, there are few studies assessing the information recorded in SISVAN, as well as its coverage across the country. Objectives: 1) To assess, in 2006, the coverage of Nutritional and Food Surveillance System (SISVAN-MH) in the Regional Health Coordination Offices (CRSs) of the Rio Grande do Sul (RS) and in the whole State; 2) To assess the agreement between nutritional classifications recorded by the professionals in the system and those provided by these study; 3) To characterize the nutritional status of children from age 0 to 10 followed by SISVAN in RS in these year. Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study of secondary database analyzing data from 63,320 children aged 0-10 followed by SISVAN in 2006, in RS. The system coverage was assessed by comparing the total number of children followed by the system in 2006 with the estimate for the population of children below age 10 covered by the Strategy of Health´s Family in the RS cities at the same year (DATASUS, 2010). The nutritional status, stated by professionals in 2006 in the system [based on the weight/age index, in percentiles according to the reference from the NCHS(OMS, 1983)] was recalculated in this study using weight measurements, age and sex data from the database in order to evaluate the agreement between classifications. The nutritional status was evaluated according to the reference from the World Health Organization (WHO, 2006). The score z values smaller than -2 for the indexes weight-for-age (W/A), BMI-for-age(BMI/A) and height-for-age (H/A) were considered nutritional deficits. The score z values greater then +2 for the index BMI/A were considered overweight. Relative and absolute frequencies, means and standard deviations of variables were calculated, using Student‟s t test for independent samples, Pearson‟s chi square test and weighted kappa coefficient to compare means, ratios and classification agreement, respectively. Results: The system coverage in RS was 10.54% (ranging from 2,2% to 21,0% across CRSs). The value of the weighted kappa coefficient between nutritional classifications was 0.426 in RS (ranging from 0.135 to 0.661 across CRSs). The frequencies of nutritional deviations were: H/A deficit: 9.1% (children below age 5) and 5.8% (children aged 5 to 10 years old); W/A deficit: 3.7% (children below age 5) and 4.0% (children aged 5 to 10 years old); BMI/A deficit: 3.1% (children below age 5) and 2.8% (children aged 5 to 10 years old); and overweight: 9.4% (children below age 5) and 7.9% (children aged 5 to 10 years old); Conclusions: The results showed the overweight and the height deficit among children followed by SISVAN, but they should be interpreted with caution because of low coverage of SISVAN in RS and the poor quality of anthropometric data registered.

Introdução: A Vigilância Alimentar e Nutricional (VAN) foi proposta mundialmente em meados da década de 60 e foi consolidada na década de 70 através de três importantes eventos internacionais: a Conferência Mundial de Alimentos (1974), a Conferência de Alma-Ata (1978), e a proposta de uma Revolução pela Sobrevivência e Desenvolvimento da criança (1983). No Brasil, desde os anos 90, o Ministério da Saúde (MS) tem incentivado o monitoramento alimentar e nutricional da população atendida pela Atenção Primária à Saúde (APS), vinculado às rotinas dos serviços, através do Sistema de Vigilância Alimentar e Nutricional (SISVAN). Desde então, diversos projetos de implantação do SISVAN vem sendo desenvolvidos nos municípios brasileiros. No entanto, há poucos estudos avaliando as informações registradas no SISVAN, bem como sua cobertura no país. Objetivos: 1) Avaliar para 2006 a cobertura do Sistema de Vigilância Alimentar e Nutricional (SISVAN- Ministério da Saúde - MS) nas Coordenadorias Regionais de Saúde do Rio Grande do Sul (CRSs) e no Estado; 2) Avaliar a concordância entre as classificações nutricionais registradas pelos profissionais no sistema com aquelas geradas por este estudo e; 3) Caracterizar o estado nutricional de crianças de 0-10 anos acompanhadas pelo SISVAN no RS no referido ano. Métodos: Estudo transversal descritivo de base secundária em que se analisaram dados de 63.320 crianças de 0-10 anos acompanhadas pelo SISVAN em 2006 no RS. A cobertura do sistema foi avaliada pela comparação do total de crianças acompanhadas pelo sistema em 2006 com a estimativa da população de menores de 10 anos coberta pela Estratégia de Saúde da Família nos municípios gaúchos no mesmo ano (DATASUS, 2010). A classificação do estado nutricional informado pelo profissional em 2006 no sistema [que foi baseada no índice peso/idade, em percentis, com referência na curva de crescimento do NCHS (OMS, 1983)], foi recalculada neste estudo a partir das medidas de peso, idade e sexo constantes no banco de dados, a fim de avaliar concordância entre classificações. O estado nutricional foi avaliado segundo a referência da Organização Mundial da Saúde (WHO, 2006). Foram considerados déficits nutricionais quando os índices peso/idade (P/I), massa corporal para idade (IMC/I) e estatura para idade (E/I) tinham valores de escore z inferiores a -2, e excesso de peso valores de IMC/I com escore z maior ou igual a +2. Foram calculadas freqüências relativas e absolutas, médias e desvios-padrão das variáveis, utilizando-se os testes t de Student para amostras independentes, qui-quadrado de Pearson e o coeficiente Kappa ponderado para comparação de médias, proporções e concordância de classificações, respectivamente. Resultados: A cobertura do sistema no RS foi de 10,54% (oscilando de 2,2% a 21,0% entre CRSs). O valor do coeficiente kappa ponderado entre classificações nutricionais foi de 0,426 para o RS (oscilando de 0,135 a 0,661 entre CRSs). As freqüências dos desvios nutricionais foram: déficit E/I: 9,1% (menores de 5 anos) e 5,8% (5-10 anos); déficit P/I: 3,7% (menores de 5 anos) e 4,0% (5-10 anos); déficit IMC/I: 3,1% (menores de 5 anos) e 2,8% (5-10 anos); e excesso de peso: 9,4% (menores de 5 anos) e 7,9% (5-10 anos). Conclusões: Aponta-se o excesso de peso e o déficit estatural entre as crianças acompanhadas pelo SISVAN, mas requere-se cautela à extrapolação dos resultados, devido às baixas cobertura do sistema e concordância das classificações nutricionais registradas. / Introduction: The Nutritional and Food Surveillance System was proposed internationally in the mid 60‟s and was consolidated in the 1970‟s through three important international events: The World Food Conference (1974), the Alma-Ata Conference (1978) and the proposition for a Child Survival and Development Revolution (1983). In Brazil, since the 1990‟s, the Ministry of Health has encouraged the nutritional and food monitoring of the population treated by the Primary Healthcare Service, associated to service routines, through the Nutritional and Food Surveillance System (SISVAN). Since then several projects for implementing SISVAN have been developed in Brazilians cities. However, there are few studies assessing the information recorded in SISVAN, as well as its coverage across the country. Objectives: 1) To assess, in 2006, the coverage of Nutritional and Food Surveillance System (SISVAN-MH) in the Regional Health Coordination Offices (CRSs) of the Rio Grande do Sul (RS) and in the whole State; 2) To assess the agreement between nutritional classifications recorded by the professionals in the system and those provided by these study; 3) To characterize the nutritional status of children from age 0 to 10 followed by SISVAN in RS in these year. Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study of secondary database analyzing data from 63,320 children aged 0-10 followed by SISVAN in 2006, in RS. The system coverage was assessed by comparing the total number of children followed by the system in 2006 with the estimate for the population of children below age 10 covered by the Strategy of Health´s Family in the RS cities at the same year (DATASUS, 2010). The nutritional status, stated by professionals in 2006 in the system [based on the weight/age index, in percentiles according to the reference from the NCHS(OMS, 1983)] was recalculated in this study using weight measurements, age and sex data from the database in order to evaluate the agreement between classifications. The nutritional status was evaluated according to the reference from the World Health Organization (WHO, 2006). The score z values smaller than -2 for the indexes weight-for-age (W/A), BMI-for-age(BMI/A) and height-for-age (H/A) were considered nutritional deficits. The score z values greater then +2 for the index BMI/A were considered overweight. Relative and absolute frequencies, means and standard deviations of variables were calculated, using Student‟s t test for independent samples, Pearson‟s chi square test and weighted kappa coefficient to compare means, ratios and classification agreement, respectively. Results: The system coverage in RS was 10.54% (ranging from 2,2% to 21,0% across CRSs). The value of the weighted kappa coefficient between nutritional classifications was 0.426 in RS (ranging from 0.135 to 0.661 across CRSs). The frequencies of nutritional deviations were: H/A deficit: 9.1% (children below age 5) and 5.8% (children aged 5 to 10 years old); W/A deficit: 3.7% (children below age 5) and 4.0% (children aged 5 to 10 years old); BMI/A deficit: 3.1% (children below age 5) and 2.8% (children aged 5 to 10 years old); and overweight: 9.4% (children below age 5) and 7.9% (children aged 5 to 10 years old); Conclusions: The results showed the overweight and the height deficit among children followed by SISVAN, but they should be interpreted with caution because of low coverage of SISVAN in RS and the poor quality of anthropometric data registered.