MALNUTRITION EPIDEMIOLOGY IN LATIN AMERICA: CURRENT SITUATION

Introduction: malnutrition is one of the most important public health problems in Latin- America. Objective: to present an analysis based on three anthropometric indicators considering the countries, sex, geographic area and socioeconomic conditions. Methods: The childhood malnutrition (z-score < -2 standard deviation) was made considering anthropometric indicators in children <5 years; height for age, weight for height and weight for age. Prevalence was estimated based on sex and type of household (urban and rural). Maps with malnutrition distribution were drawn. The World Health Organization database for malnutrition and growth was employed. Statistical analysis included correlation and simple regression. Results: the countries were organized according to quintiles of malnutrition distribution: 0-10%: Argentina, Brazil and Costa Rica; 11-20%: Chile, Colombia, Republican Dominican, Uruguay and Venezuela; 21-30%: Ecuador, El Salvador, Haiti, Mexico and Nicaragua; 31-40%: Bolivia, Honduras and Peru; >40% Guatemala. The relation between malnutrition and socioeconomic indicators was always inverse except for infant mortality. Conclusions: Haiti, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua were the countries with the highest malnutrition prevalence. The relation between malnutrition and socioeconomic was inverse for IDH, birth expectancy and schooling. The relation with infant mortality was positive.