Dietary intake and nutritional status in children aged 1 to 5 years of the indigenous community of Angochagua, Ecuador

Abstract

Introduction: Infants under the age of 5 who reside in the indigenous localities of Ecuador may be at risk of malnutrition due to their diets based mainly on carbohydrates. Objective: To establish the relationship between macronutrient intake and energy intake with the nutritional status of children from 1 to 5 years of age in the indigenous community of Angochagua. Materials and Methods: Non-experimental, quantitative, and cross-sectional design. The sample consisted of 84 children. The dietary variable was determined by the 24-hour recall. Weight, height, and Z-score anthropometric indicators were used for the anthropometric variable. Statistical analysis was performed using the SPSS software, calculating means, percentages, and associations between variables with the Pearson correlation coefficient. Results: The consumption of carbohydrates and fats is adequate with a tendency to overfeeding, that of proteins is mostly underfeeding and the energy intake has similar values for adequate consumption and underfeeding. The indicators weight for height and BMI for age are normal with a tendency to be overweight and obese; the height-for-age indicator establishes the risk of stunting and short stature. High correlations were found between the consumption of carbohydrates, protein, and energy with the anthropometric indicators. Conclusion: The low consumption of proteins and the high consumption of lipids and carbohydrates causes a problem of double burden of malnutrition since children have growth problems and tendencies towards overweight and obesity.