[Health and nutritional status of infants in a population of the Center-Western region of Brazil].
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the nutritional status of infants who reside in the city of Campo Grande, State of Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.


METHODS
The method used was that of a cross sectional household study by means of an anthropometric social survey, sampling 652 children from 0 to 59 months of age.


RESULTS
A low prevalence of nutritional deficit, excepting that of height-for-age, starting in the first year of life, was found. The nutritional status proved to be influenced by the socioeconomic conditions, especially concerning per capita family income. Nearly all children started breast-feeding but were weaned during the first month. Exclusive breast-feeding is of short duration and soon replaced by infant formula. The survey of mother-child assistance demonstrated an excellent coverage of prenatal care, but inadequacy in the follow-up of the child's health at all income levels.


CONCLUSIONS
The need to carry out changes in the approach to preventive actions and in the monitoring of the nutritional situation of the children, concerning the problems identified in this study in order to allow for the development of differential actions in the nutritional field has been identified.
Ribas
D L
DL
Departamento de Tecnologia de Alimentos e Saúde Pública do Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso do Sul, Campo Grande, MS, Brasil. dbribas@nin.ufms.br
Philippi
S T
ST
Tanaka
A C
AC
Zorzatto
J R
JR
D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002669:Child Welfare; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007228:Infant Nutrition Disorders / Q000453:epidemiology; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D009752:Nutritional Status; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors