Nutritional assessment in children under 10 in ferros, Minas Gerais

Abstract

Brazil is going through problems with obesity as well as malnutrition and starvation - the nutritional transition. This is a cross sectional study with a sample of 1322 children under 10 years of age, residents in Ferros, Minas Gerais, Brazil, enrolled in SISVAN. Results showed that: 20.7% of children had nutritional disorder (10.1% nutritional risk, 3.8% malnourished and 6.7% overweight risk). Malnutrition risk factors were also identified: low birth-weight, RP=3.57, IC 95% (1.96-6.52); stunting, RP=19.36, IC 95% (11.53-32.52); no breastfeeding, RP=2.23, IC 95% (1.19-4.18); family income below R$ 95, RP=2.39, IC 95% (1.10-5.16). Prevalence for overweight was higher than for malnutrition. While the rural population presented higher prevalence for nutritional risk and malnutrition, in the urban area there was higher prevalence of risk for overweight. These results show the need for specific nutritional interventions according to the specific issues identified.