[Growth and work among elementary and high school students in São Paulo, Brazil].

Objective: To assess risk factors for low height and students and working adolescents in cities of State of São Paulo, Brazil.

Methods: A stratified sample, consisting of 50.0% of students from 5th grade to last year of high school, of State of São Paulo, Brazil, in 1999, was drawn from two largest schools of two different cities (urban and rural). A total of 756 individuals were studied. The height/age indicator, according to the 1977-NCHS (National Center for Health Statistics) standards, defined malnutrition. Height/age distribution and multivariate analyses were carried out using the stepwise method and low-height as the dependent variable.

Results: Of the adolescents, 12.7% (96) fell below percentile 5; 24.4% (184) between percentiles 5 - 15; and 47.1% (356) between percentiles 15 - 50. Low height was associated with age: taking age-group 10-13 as reference, low-height was twice as likely in students aged 14-17 years (OR adj.=2.49). For those aged 17-19 years, low height was three times as likely (OR adj.=3.37). Being unemployed increases the risk for low-height (OR adj.=2.86) when compared to working adolescents. Also, low height is higher (OR adj.=1.81) among part-time workers.

Conclusion: Economical determinants contribute to the risks for chronic malnutrition among students, since these adolescents rely on work to live on. It is worth emphasizing that underage labor legislation should be enforced in conjunction with compensation public programs.