Effect of improvement of pre-school education through anganwadi center on intelligence and development quotient of children.

Objective. To find usefulness of a package of interventions to improve preschool education through Anganwadi centers on psychosocial development of children. Methods. A case-control study was undertaken to evaluate an intervention. Eight Anganwadi centers were selected using simple random sampling out of sixteen Anganwadi centers in Talegaon PHC area where intervention was done. Ten children in age group of 4-6 years were selected randomly from each of the eight Anganwadi center in intervention arm. For each child from intervention arm, one agematched child was selected from the matched Anganwadi center. For each subject, Intelligence Quotient and Development Quotient were assessed. Results. Mean Development Quotient (DQ) and Intelligence Quotient (IQ) values were higher among children in intervention Anganwadi centers (16.2 points for DQ and 10.2 points for IQ). This difference was found statistically significant (p = <0.01). Mean DQ among boys was found 10.1 points higher than that among the girls in control arm, this was statistically significant. According to multivariate linear regression model, the determinants of DQ were: intervention; age of the child; education of mother; sex of child; and PEM grade and the determinants for IQ were: intervention; age of the child; and income. Conclusions. This study shows that intervention to improve the Early Childhood Education and Development component through Anganwadi centers results in improvement in Developmental and Intelligence Quotient of children.

Evolución de las normas de alimentación y nutrición del programa alimentario y cambios en el estado nutricional de preescolares beneficiarios de la JUNJI en las últimas 3 décadas / Evolution of the nutritiion and dietary guidelines and changes in the nutritional status of preschool children beneficiaries of the JUNJI program over the past 3 decades

Se presentan las bases institucionales del programa JUNJI y se describen los cambios en los aspectos alimentarios y nutricionales más importantes implementados desde su inicio en 1970 hasta el presente. Se presenta la evolución del estado nutricional de la población atendida, evaluando la posible relación con los cambios programáticos. La subnutrición y el déficit de talla han prácticamente desaparecido como problema de salud pública en estos 30 años, sin embargo la prevalencia de sobrepeso y obesidad ha aumentado en forma significativa en los últimos 10 años, estabilizándose a partir del 2000. Los logros alcanzados en los últimos años son el resultado de los cambios en las normativas definidas por JUNJI con respecto al aporte nutricional y patrón dietario ofrecido a los preescolares, el fomento la actividad física, la educación alimentaria dirigida a los niños y sus familias; todo esto apoya vidas más activas y alimentación más saludable. Se proponen orientaciones y recomendaciones programáticas hacia el futuro, con el fin de adecuar el programa JUNJI a los cambios epidemiológicos y nutricionales observados en el país.

The institutional development of the JUNJI programs is presented; changes in the dietary and nutritional guidelines implemented from 1970 to the present are described. The evolution of nutritional status of beneficiaries is presented and the relationship to program changes is explored. Undernutrition and stunting have practically disappeared as public health problems in the past 30 years. However the prevalence of overweight and obesity has increased significantly in the past 10 years, reaching stability after 2000. The achievements over the past years are the result of changes in the technical norms defined by JUNJI with respect to nutrition and dietary pattern guidelines offered to preschool children, the promotion of physical activity, nutrition education directed at children and families; all of which support active lives and healthier feeding patterns. We propose program orientations and recommendations for the future in order to adjust the JUNJI program to the present epidemiologic profile and nutritional problems of the country.

Prevalencia de enteroparasitosis en guarderias infantiles del area urbana de Cochabamba / Prevalence of enteroparasitic infections in small children of the city at Cochabamba

El presente estudio tuvo como objetivo el determinar la prevalencia de parasitosis intestinal en las guarderias de la ciudad de Cochabamba. Entre los resultados mas importantes se tiene que el 57// de los ninos estudiados tienen alguna enteroparasitosis, de este grupo, el 31// lleva Giardia Lamblia, 10// Entamoeba histolitica y 2// Ascaris lumbricoides. La mayor parte de los estudiados presentaron multiparasitos.