Evaluación nutricional de menores en situación irregular de 0 a 12 años, en Estado de protección. Policlínico "Diego Portales" (CORDAM). Santiago Chile, 1983

Abstract

Results of a research performed on 1191 children living under protection of SENAME (Servicio Nacional de Menores) who are provided medical care at the Clinic ”Diego Portales”, C0R- DAM (Corporación de Ayuda al Menor) are presented. The authors focussed the study on the assissment of the nutritional status finding a rate of 15% of children under the expected weight for age value, a rate of 34,5 %under the expected height for age value and a rate of 1,9% of children under the expected weight for height value. Most part of neal nourished children belonged to neild or 1st. degree malnutrition. The found proportion of 87,4 % of normality according to the weight for height index, similar to the figure of the whole population, is attributed to the efficacy of the protectional systems provided by SENAME and other institutions. On the other hand, the figure of 34,5% of children under the expected height for age value suggest a long period of malnutrition before joining the System. The authors found no association between chronic pathology and malnutrition. The frequency of overweight and obesity was higher for females.