Evaluación antropométrica y hábitos alimentarios en niños escolares con desnutrición

Abstract

Introduction: Child malnutrition is a public health problem, for its control an early anthropometric diagnosis and the timely detection of behaviors and eating habits are needed.Objective: to establish the anthropometric evaluation and eating habits in school children with malnutrition.Method: quantitative, descriptive and crosssectional research, carried out at the "Atahualpa" Educational Unit, Ecuador, from September 2022 to February 2023, with a sample of 43 malnourished school children aged 9-12 years. The data collection techniques were anthropometric indicators (weight/age, height/age, BMI/age), a dietary clinical history for eating behaviors-habits, and a hunger scale at home. Results: the age in school children was 7 to 9 years 63.0%, male gender 64%, with chronic malnutrition 62.79% (n=27), of the group of children with chronic malnutrition the highest frequency is chronic malnutrition or short stature 41.86% (n=18). Eating habits and behaviors: poor appetite 51.2%, permissive caregivers 41.8%, apathetic children regarding food 46.5%, inadequate weekly consumption frequency 76.7%, inadequate food preparation 69.8%, inadequate duration in each main meal 65.1%, distracting elements during eating 86.1% and moderate hunger at home 58.13%. Conclusions: in the anthropometric evaluationchronic malnutrition was established, with a higher prevalence of chronic malnutrition or short stature, in eating habits and behaviors the following predominated: bad appetite, permissive caregivers, apathetic children regarding food, distracting elements, three inadequate aspects: frequency of weekly consumption, food preparation and duration of feeding, in addition to a moderate incidence of hunger in the home