[The migration process as risk factor in chronic malnutrition of pre-school children from Jalisco]. / El proceso migratorio como factor de riesgo en la desnutrición crónica del preescolar migrante cañero de Jalisco.

The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors in the family's migratory profile of preschool children with chronic malnutrition. A comparative observational study was conducted, including 511 12 to 60 months old children from childcare centers in the Jalisco sugar cane area, from February to March 1988. We evaluated their nutritional status using anthropometric indicators and Waterlow's classification. Their migratory history included information on place of origin, migratory mobility, cause of immigration, sociodemographic characteristics of parents and history of siblings who died under five years. The prevalence of malnutrition was 79 percent per 100 preschool children (68.5% adapted, 21.5% acute chronic and 10.4% acute). Factors associated with chronic malnutrition (OR greater than 1 CI 95%) included: coming from a poverty stricken population and being permanent migrants. A significant difference (p less than 0.05) was found among children of parents who were jobless at the time of migration. These findings could be used to justify the implementation of nutritional epidemiologic surveillance and intervention programs.

[Factors associated with acute malnutrition in migrating pre-school children from the sugar cane region of Jalisco]. / Factores asociados a la desnutrición aguda en preescolares migrantes de la zona cañera de Jalisco.

The purpose of this study is to identify the association between socioeconomic, environmental, feeding and individual factors involved in the acute malnutrition of the migrating pre-schooler. A comparative, transversal, observational study was conducted in 511 children between the ages of 1 and 5 from child care centers in the Jalisco sugar cane area. Using anthropometric indicators, classified according to Waterlow, their nutritional state was evaluated. The prevalence of the malnutrition was 79.0 per 100 preschoolers (68.1% adapted, 21.5% acutely chronic and 10.4% acute). Those factors associated with acute malnutrition included: a family income of less than the established minimum wage (O.R. = 6.32, P = 0.00), a lesser amount with an acute pathology (O.R. = 3.34, P = 0.00) and being a year old (O.R. = 2.22, P = 0.01). Significant differences were found among children of parents who: did not have an education (P = 0.04) and who were sugar cane cutters (P = 0.05). The findings identify risk factors for acute malnutrition, probably modifiable using nutritional epidemiological surveillance strategies.