ABSTRACT:
Introduction. Obesity in adolescence heightens risks of early-onset chronic diseases alongside psychological and social repercussions; however, research in quilombola communities remains limited. This study assessed the prevalence of overweight and obesity, along with body image perception, among quilombola adolescents attending a public school in Salvador. Methods. This cross-sectional study, approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the School of Nursing at UFBA (CAAE:70809417.5.0000.5531), was conducted from August to December 2017 with quilombola adolescents residing on Ilha de Maré in the Bay of All Saints, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. Participants aged 10-19 years, of both sexes, enrolled at the state public school on São Tomé de Paripe Naval Base were included. Body mass index (BMI), abdominal circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio were measured, with overweight defined as BMI 25-29.9 kg/m² and obesity as BMI ≥30 kg/m² per WHO criteria. Semi-structured interviews evaluated body image in the overweight/obese subsample. Results. Of the 181 adolescents, 137 were evaluated: 54% female, 98.6% self-identified as Afro-descendants [68.6% Black and 30.0% Pardo (i.e., mixed-race)], 83.9% from families earning <1 minimum wage, and 81.8% engaging in regular physical exercise. BMI showed 4.4% underweight, 84.6% normal weight, 8.8% overweight, and 3.0% obese. Among the 16 overweight/obese (11.8%), eight attended but did not participate in physical education classes despite acknowledging healthy habits' importance. They reported sadness, anger, body dissatisfaction, peer rejection, social isolation, and sports demotivation. Conclusion. Elevated BMI poses a public health challenge; these adolescents face not only biological consequences but also emotional, social and pragmatic disadvantages commonly faced by quilombola populations.