Perfil nutricional e percepção lógica de crianças do ensino fundamental II propiciando ação digital com criação do jogo AlimenMática

Abstract

The development of logical reasoning should be encouraged from the earliest years of education. Playful activities and digital tools contribute to overcoming paradigms associated with the fear of teaching and learning mathematics. The Brazilian Society of Pediatrics estimates that, by 2030, Brazil will rank as the fifth country with the highest prevalence of childhood and adolescent obesity. Evidence shows that obese children are at greater risk of becoming obese adults, with nearly 80% of obese adolescents remaining overweight in adulthood. Although food choice is usually linked to individual health concerns, a key question arises: do people truly understand the foods they consume? Disseminating knowledge about food composition to foster awareness of healthy eating represents both health promotion and social development, and it is the focus of this study. This research examined the relationship between nutritional status and logical reasoning among students from a public school in Barra da Tijuca/ RJ, and introduced the digital game AlimenMática. Most participants were identified as living in conditions of social vulnerability and food insecurity. Findings corroborate previous studies, indicating a correlation between non-eutrophic nutritional status and reduced logical reasoning ability. Gender-related differences were observed, with female students demonstrating greater logical reasoning skills, answering correctly in more than 50% of the tasks. AlimenMática provides a means of promoting conscious food choices while also encouraging mathematics learning through interactive challenges. By integrating nutrition education with playful mathematical activities, the game contributes to breaking the paradigm that mathematics is inaccessible, fostering inclusivity, and supporting transformative learning experiences.