Estado nutricional en niños menores de 5 años con anemia ferropénica que acudieron al hospital del Niño “Dr. Francisco Icaza Bustamante”, Guayaquil, Ecuador. 2022.

Abstract

Among the areas of the world most affected by anemia is Latin America and the Caribbean, it is estimated that it appears in 22.5 million infants between 6 to 24 months mainly. This research aimed to determine the nutritional status in children under 5 years of age. The study methodology is descriptive, retrospective, cross-sectional, and not experimental. The study sample comprised 84 patients diagnosed with iron deficiency anemia. The results reflected that 56% of the patients were male and 44% female in an age range of zero to five years; Most of them (51%) do not refer antecedents. The weight-for-age growth indicator indicates that 66.70% had a normal weight, 1.20% risk of low weight; 10.70% underweight; 19% severely underweight; and, 2.40% high weight. Regarding height for age, it was identified that 57.10% had a normal height; 24% severe short stature; 16% retardation in height or low height; and 4% very tall. In the indicator of body mass index for age, 69% are normal; 10% severely emaciated; 6% emaciated 2% risk of being overweight; 10% overweight; and 4% obesity. It is observed that almost 40% of the study sample presents some degree of deficit or excess malnutrition, with the former predominating; which is in accordance with what was mentioned by ENSANUT 2018, which indicates that in Ecuador 4 out of 10 children suffer from malnutrition. Using the Pearson chi-square statistical method, by correlating the anthropometric indices with the degree of anemia, it was possible to identify that there is a significant relationship with the height-for-age indicator (<0.0001).