Child feeding practices and household food insecurity among low-income mothers in Buenos Aires, Argentina / Práticas de alimentação infantil e insegurança alimentar doméstica entre mães de baixa renda em Buenos Aires, Argentina

This qualitative study of low-income mothers in Buenos Aires, Argentina, examines the influence of socio-economic conditions, organizational structures, family relationships, and food insecurity on child feeding practices and weight status. Thirty-eight mothers of preschool children living in urban Buenos Aires participated in four focus group discussions. The results indicated that many mothers were aware that obesity may be detrimental to the child's health, but most of them are unclear about the specific consequences. Maternal employment, family pressures, food insecurity and financial worries seem to influence child feeding practices. These findings have important implications for developing strategies for nutritional assistance that could benefit the health of children and provide opportunities for educational programs that are directed to nutritional awareness in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The right to eat regularly and properly is an obligation of the State and must be implemented taking into account the notion of food sovereignty and respecting the importance of preserving the culture and eating habits of a country and its diverse population groups.

Estudo qualitativo realizado com mães de baixa renda em Buenos Aires, Argentina, que examina a influência das condições socioeconômicas, da estrutura organizacional, das relações familiares e da insegurança alimentar sobre as práticas de alimentação infantil e o padrão de peso. Trinta e oito mães de crianças pré-escolares que vivem em áreas urbanas de Buenos Aires participaram de quatro discussões em grupos focais. Os resultados indicaram que muitas mães estavam cientes de que a obesidade pode ser prejudicial para a saúde da criança, mas a maioria não tem clareza sobre as consequências. O trabalho materno, as pressões familiares, a insegurança alimentar e as preocupações financeiras parecem influenciar as práticas de alimentação infantil. Esses achados têm importantes implicações para o desenvolvimento de estratégias de assistência nutricional, que poderão beneficiar a saúde das crianças e as oportunidades de educação nutricional dos programas que são direcionados à transição nutricional em Buenos Aires. O direito de se alimentar regular e adequadamente é obrigação do Estado e deve ser exercida tomando em consideração a noção de soberania alimentar e respeitando a importância a preservação da cultura e hábitos alimentares de um país e seus diversos grupos populacionais.

Longitudinal growth patterns of Pakistani infants in a clinic based growth promotion program.

OBJECTIVE: To describe the operation of growth monitoring and promotion (GMP) clinic and longitudinal growth patterns of children. DESIGN: Prospective observation and intervention. SETTING: Outpatient department of a teaching hospital. METHODS: Less than 6 months old infants were registered at GMP clinic and followed for up to two years of age. Mothers were provided information, education and counselling about healthy growth of their infants. The outcome measure was change in weight after follow-up. RESULTS: We enrolled a cohort of 553 children in the first 6 months of life, of which 318 were males. Mean follow up period was 15.7 (SD+/-6.4) months. At enrollment 207 were underweight [weight-for-age Z score (WAZ<-2], of which 153 were from low-income families. The children from poorer families also gained weight regularly, although it was less than the higher income families. Of 346 infants with normal weight at registration, 305 maintained their weight gain by last follow-up visit. Of 207 underweight infants at enrollment 128 improved their weight gain by the last follow-up visit. Overall 433 infants followed-up at our GMP clinic either maintained or improved their weight gain. CONCLUSIONS: Children at risk of undernutrition should be identified at an early age and through effective interaction between health workers and the family, their growth can be improved. Children of poor families can also benefit from this activity, provided a comprehensive approach is made available.

Validez y reproducibilidad de un cuestionario de actividad e inactividad física para escolares de la ciudad de México / Validity and reproducibility of a physical activity and inactivity questionnaire for Mexico Cityïs schoolchildren

Objetivo. Evaluar la validez y reproducibilidad de un cuestionario autoaplicado de actividad e inactividad física en escolares de 10 a 14 años de la ciudad de México. Material y métodos. Se desarrolló un cuestionario autoaplicado sobre la actividad e inactividad física que se aplicó dos veces a una muestra de 114 estudiantes, de 10 a 14 años de edad, en una población de bajos y medianos ingresos de la ciudad de México, entre mayo y diciembre de 1996. Las madres de los estudiantes llenaron el mismo cuestionario, mientras que aquéllos completaron dos recordatorios de actividad física de 24 horas, que se usaron como criterio de comparación. Se calcularon medidas de tendencia central y de dispersión y se estimó correlación de Pearson. Resultados. Las correlaciones entre las horas al día dedicadas a la actividad e inactividad física del cuestionario de los estudiantes y las de los recordatorios de 24 horas ajustadas por edad, sexo, zona de residencia y enfermedad anterior a la administración del cuestionario fueron de 0.03 para la actividad moderada, de 0.15 para la actividad vigorosa y de 0.51 (p=0.001) para el tiempo dedicado a ver televisión. Al comparar con los recordatorios de 24 horas, el cuestionario sobrestimó el tiempo de ver televisión, leer o participar en actividades vigorosas, y subestimó el tiempo de actividad moderada. Se observaron coeficientes de reproducibilidad en seis meses aceptables para el tiempo de ver televisión (r=0.53), dormir (r=0.40), actividad moderada (r=0.38) y actividad vigorosa (r=0.55) (p<0.05). Conclusiones. Entre los estudiantes de 10 a 14 años de la ciudad de México, el cuestionario mostró validez aceptable para estimar el tiempo de ver televisión, y una reproducibilidad aceptable de las medidas del tiempo de ver televisión, de la actividad moderada y de la vigorosa.

Sobrepeso en mujeres de 12 a 49 años y niños menores de cinco años en México / Obesity among 12-49 year-old women and children aged under five in Mexico

Objetivo. Estimar de presentar sobrepeso entre mujeres en edad reproductiva y preescolar en México, de acuerdo con algunas características demográficas. Material y métodos. Se analizaron datos recolectados en la Encuesta Nacional de Nutrición en 1988 sobre 15 811 mujeres en edad reproductiva y 6 987 preescolares. Se estimaron razones de prevalencia (RP) de sobrepeso e intervalos de confianza de acuerdo con las variables de interés. Resultados. Los preescolares de las regiones norte y centro del país tienen una mayor prevalencia de sobrepeso que los del sureste de México (RP= 1.90, IC 95 por ciento 1.41-2.59 y RP= 1.91, IC 95 por ciento 1.41-2.59, respectivamente). Esta prevalencia está positivamente asociada con la escolaridad del jefe de familia. Entre las mujeres en edad reproductiva, la prevalencia de sobrepeso en mayor para las de la región norte y de la Ciudad de México (RP= 1.21, IC 95 por ciento 1.10-1.34 y RP= 1.16, IC 95 por ciento 1.05-1.28). Esta prevalencia está asociada negativamente con la escolaridad de las mujeres y positivamente con el número de nacidos vivos que hayan tenido. Conclusiones: Es necesario llevar a cabo programas de prevención con grupos en mayor riesgo de presentar sobrepeso

Objetive.To estimate the association between some sociodemographic characteristics and the risk of obesity among 12-49 year-old women and children aged under five. Material and methods. We analyzed data from Mexico's 1988 National Nutrition Survey, including information on 15 811 women of child bearing age and 6 987 children aged under five years. We estimated the obesity prevalence rate ratios and confidence intervals for all the variables of interest. Results. Preschool children living in the north and central regions of Mexico presented higher obesity prevalence rates than those living in the southeast (PR= 1.90, 95% CI 1.41-2.59 and PR= 1.91, 95% CI 1.41-2.59, respectively). The risk of obesity was positively associated to the educational level of the head of the household. The prevalence of obesity was greater among child-bearing age women living in the northern region of Mexico and in Mexico City (PR=1.21, 95% CI 1.10-1.34 and PR=1.16, 95% CI 1.05-1.28). The prevalence of obesity was also positively associated with the number of live births and negatively associated with the woman's educational level. Conclusions. It is necessary to implement obesity prevention programs among high risk groups.