Evaluación Nutricional en preescolares atendidos en el Hospital de Manglaralto, Santa Elena

Abstract

A cross-sectional descriptive piece of research was conducted in order to document the eating habits, physical activity and nutritional status of 514 children aged 3-5 years. Both Qualitative and quantitative techniques were used to describe the data and information found; surveys, anthropometric evaluations and biochemical investigations (hemoglobin) were carried out on a sample of the population treated at the outpatient clinic of Manglaralto Hospital in Santa Elena province, Ecuador during 2014. Preschool children were classified as malnourished, normal weight, overweight and obese, and the existence of anemia was also identified. The data was studied to observe associations between eating habits, access to and availability of food, the level of culture in terms of diet and education, economic poverty and health education for families of preschoolers. It was found that 44.5% of the group were malnourished, 0.7% overweight, and 81.7% suffered from anemia. An association was found between malnutrition and anemia in more than a third of the population studied, with a further association between both conditions and acute respiratory infections and diarrheal disease. In the population there is a relationship between nutritional status and determining variables studied.

Keywords

• anemia
• eating habits
• nutritional status
• physical activity