Seguridad alimentaria y nutricional en un espacio de riesgo para la malaria / Food and nutritional security in a risk area for malaria

ABSTRACT

To explore some relationships between alimentary and nutritional security (SAN) and nutritional status in an endemic malaria community, applying qualitative and quantitative methods simultaneously. The study was descriptive and prospective. The population were all farming Afro-American families who live in the basin of the river Valle (Bahía Solano. Chocó, Colombia) that derived the base of their feeding of the agriculture. The SAN was measured from the monthly availability of foods and was classified in adequate and inadequate according to the available monthly caloric balance percentage. We determined the risk of acute malnutrition (indicative P/T), chronic (T/E), global (P/E) and risk of thinness (BMI). We sought for malarian cases. The official data of illness were revised. We applied surveys to know the morbidity and knowledge, attitudes and practices in malaria infections, 29 per cent of homes had alimentary insecurity. There was protein deficit and iron of high availability, calcium and vitamin A in 100 per cent of families. In children under 6 years old, we found 31 per cent and 69 per cent, in same order, with low P/T and T/E, while in the 6-10 year old children had 14 per cent and 41 per cent, respectively. In adolescents (11 to 17 years old) the risk of thinness was 15 per cent and in adults 3 per cent. There was not association between alimentary available and family nutritional status. These results suggest subclinics deficiencies of micronutrients.