Eating habits and factors associated with nutritional state in infants referred to the Comprehensive Nutritional Food Program at a health center

Introduction: Children with malnutrition are users of the Comprehensive Nutritional Food Program (PANI). Little is known about their eating habits or sociodemographic conditions. Objective: To evaluate the association of eating habits and sociodemographic variables with the nutritional status of infants aged 6 to 23 months referred to the Comprehensive Nutritional Food Program (PANI). Materials and Methods: This was a case-control study of children from 6-23 months seen at the San Lorenzo Maternal and Child Hospital, who were assigned to one of two groups: a) Study Group-SG: 25 children of the PANI with malnutrition (MLN) or at risk of malnutrition (ROM) b) Control Group-CG: 25 healthy children (H), matched by age and sex. We reviewed eating and sociodemographic variables. chi 2, Mann Whitney, T Student and logistic regression were used, p < 0.05 was significant. Results: After study approval by the Ethics Committee, 50 children were evaluated. The median age was 13.9 months, 72% (18/25 per group) were boys in both groups, 46/50 (92%) came from urban areas. In the SG, 20/25 (80%) children had MLN, 5/20 (20%) were at ROM; in CG all had normal nutritional status. There were no significant differences between groups regarding access to water and sanitation, exclusive breastfeeding duration (EBD) or start of solid feeding. The SG had a lower average birth weight than the CG (2724.6 vs. 3430.6 grams; Mann-Whitney, p = 0.001), shorter duration of total EBD (7.5 vs. 10.7 months, Student T p = 0.04), lower maternal education (8.68 vs 10.4 years; Student T p = 0.03) and in lower economic income groups. Conclusion: Lower birth weight, lower maternal education and shorter breastfeeding duration are associated with worsening of a child's nutritional status, but none of these is predictive.