Socioeconomic determinants of nutritional status in children under five attended at the Hospital Infantil Napoleón Franco Pareja

Abstract

Objective: To determine the social and economic factors that affect he nutritional status of children under five years of age. Methods: A cross-sectional study carried out with a sample of 600 children were attended the Children’s Hospital Napoleón Franco Pareja (HINFP) whose mothers were administered a standardized instrument to capture the socioeconomic information and nutritional status of the child. Two econometric models were estimated using Generalized Threshold, taking as dependent variable-height for age and weight for height and as independent variables: birth weight of the child, number of prenatal controls, level of household income, use of sewerage and aqueduct services, mother’s body mass index (BMI), among others. Results: According to the height for age indicator, 48.05% of children suffer from chronic malnutrition. The indicator weight for height showed that 22.09% of children have a deficit in their body mass (acute malnutrition) and 13.53% were overweight or obese. 76.02% of mothers of children with normal height for age have completed secondary or higher education. 56% of children in households with incomes below current legal monthly minimum wage have acute malnutrition problems. Regarding the determinants, higher incomes reduce the likelihood that a child would suffer malnutrition. Breastfeeding time, occupation and maternal nutritional status are protective factors. Increasing gestational age at birth increases the likelihood of a normal size. Conclusions: This research generated evidence for health policy review of child nutrition. The raising of incomes and the promotion breastfeeding would improve the nutritional status of children.