Association between malnutrition in children living in slums, maternal nutritional status, and environmental factors.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the association of malnutrition in children living in substandard settlements (slums) of Maceió, Brazil, with maternal nutritional status and environmental conditions.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study involving a probability sample of 2,075 mothers (18 to 45 years) and their children (4 months to 6 years), living in the slums of the city of Maceió. First, we conducted a cluster analysis with the purpose of choosing the settlements and the administrative region of the city of Maceió with the lowest human development index. After this analysis, the 7th Administrative Region was designated for the study, including its 23 substandard settlements. Socioeconomic, demographic, anthropometric, and maternal and child health data were collected by means of household survey. The statistical analysis included the odds ratio of a child to be malnourished, and the univariate regression was used to check which maternal variables were associated with this malnutrition.


RESULTS
Chronic malnutrition (-2 standard deviations/height for age) was found in 8.6% of children and was associated with mother's age and educational level, type of residence, number of rooms, flooring, water supply, and low birth weight (< 2,500 g) in children aged < or = 24 months. We also found an association between child malnutrition and maternal height. Such association was not observed regarding body mass index.


CONCLUSIONS
The high prevalence of malnutrition observed in these settlements was related to social and environmental conditions and short maternal height, who had weight deficit or weight excess.
Silveira
Kátia B R
KB
Secretaria Estadual de Saúde de Alagoas, Brazil.
Alves
Jullyana F R
JF
Ferreira
Haroldo S
HS
Sawaya
Ana L
AL
Florêncio
Telma M M T
TM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002908:Chronic Disease; D016000:Cluster Analysis; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology*; D039382:Maternal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D009752:Nutritional Status; D011204:Poverty Areas; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult