title: [Imbalance diets in preschool children: study in a day-care center in the Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina].
abstract: The purpose of this study was to investigate the impact of low fat diets in children aged 2 to 5. Eighty two children (40 females and 42 males) attending a school cafeteria (Province of Buenos Aires, Argentina), in a cross sectional study, were evaluated. Body weight (W), height (H) and body composition (BC) by bioimpedance were recorded. The anthropometric raw data were processed as Z-score of the weight-for-age (WEZ) and of the height-for-age (HAZ). Serum insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) and Zinc/haemoglobin ratio (Zn/Hb) were also measured. Results showed that 73.2% of the children were adequate (A) according WEZ, 13.4% were lean (L) and 13.4% overweight (O). 8.5% presented simultaneously impairment in WEZ and HAZ. Body fat percentage and energy metabolism were higher in O than in L and A (p < 0.05). Serum IGF-1's children--aged 4 to 5 years--with HAZ deficit were low than adequate HAZ ones. No statistical differences in Zn/Hb ratio between A, L and O were found. This cross sectional study suggests metabolic disorders in young children attending school cafeterias. These conclusions will allow to design balanced diets in order to optimize the resources, promote optimal growth and development and prevent adult diseases through dietary practices in childhood.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Odontología, Facultad de Farmacia y Bioquímica-Universidad de Buenos Aires, Argentina.
authors.forename: Patricia N
authors.initials: PN
authors.lastname: Rodríguez
authors.forename: Susana N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Zeni
authors.forename: Cristina E
authors.initials: CE
authors.lastname: Suárez
authors.forename: Andres G
authors.initials: AG
authors.lastname: Ferreira Monteiro
authors.forename: María Luz Pita
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Martín de Portela
authors.forename: Silvia M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Friedman
authors.forename: Fima
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lifshitz
mesh_terms: D000886:Anthropometry; D001118:Argentina; D001823:Body Composition; D002656:Child Day Care Centers; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D018752:Diet, Fat-Restricted; D004734:Energy Metabolism; D005260:Female; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I / Q000032:analysis; D008297:Male; D015032:Zinc / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D007334:Insulin-Like Growth Factor I; D015032:Zinc