A Note Concerning the Association Between the Nutritional Status of Children and the Economic Situation of Families, Across the 28 Health Service Areas of Chile

Abstract

The relationship between obesity in preschool children and the economic status of the areas in which they live was investigated using the anthropometric data available in the Statistics Department of the Ministry of Health (average of 2000-2002) and data of the periodic socioeconomic survey conducted by the Ministry of Planning (2002). Among the 28 Health Service areas into which the country is divided, the 24 northernmost ones show a positive Pearson correlation coefficient of 0,712 (p<0,01) between the prevalence of obesity and the percentage of poor households. In the seven southernmost areas their correlation is negative: r = -0.946 (p<0,01). In general, obesity is more prevalent in the southern half of Chile. Using the same sources of data, the proportion of underweight children was found to be higher in the northern half of the country. A moderately negative correlation with the proportion of poor families was found in the 24 northernmost areas. The proportion of stunted children showed a weak positive correlation with poverty in those same areas. There is a moderate degree of inequality among the Health Service areas as regards the anthropometrics (health) indicators: the value of the Gini coefficient was: 0,08 for obesity, 0,09 for low weight/age and 0,09 for low height/age. The quality of the data and the criteria of choice of the indicators are discussed. It is proposed that the results can be validated, or otherwise, through their utilization in the planning of child health controls across the country. In regard to obesity, it is proposed that the north and south may be in different phases of an epidemiologic transition whereby this is becoming a risk of the poor, having been earlier a risk factor of the “rich”.