Social determinants of health and nutritional status of children under five years of Fernando de la Mora, Paraguay

Abstract

Introduction: The nutritional state results from the balance between the intake and the energy needs of nutrients of the organism. Objectives: To determine the frequency, characteristics and determinants that influences the nutritional status in children under five years of age. Materials and methods: Observational, cross-sectional, descriptive study with analytical component. Children under 5 years of age were studied during August and November 2017. Sociodemographic variables of the child and the head of the family, the factors that may influence the nutritional status, and the anthropometric characteristics of the child were measured. Results: 230 children and 213 houses were analyzed. Average age of the children 2.4 ± 1.3 years (95% CI, 2.2-2.6); 58.7% were children older than 2 years and 51.3% were male. Heads of families: 64.9% with secondary education, 59.7% housewife, 46.7% of families receive minimum salary. Frequency of global malnutrition 4.2%, acute malnutrition 2.2%, risk of malnutrition 10%. In those over two years of age, the frequency is 26.7% overweight, 13.3% obese. The determining factors that influence the malnutrition of children were: households with heads of families with a low academic level and income below the minimum wage. Conclusion: Most of the families are of low income and low educational level; frequency of malnutrition lower than other studies, trend of excess weight, short stature and the determining factors found that influence nutritional status are low income and low educational level of heads of families.