Nutrition in Colombian pregnant women.
OBJECTIVE
The present study aimed to evaluate the nutritional status of pregnant women in Colombia and the associations between gestational BMI and sociodemographic and gestational characteristics.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study. A secondary analysis was made of data from the 2005 Demographic and Health Survey of Colombia.


METHODS
Bogotá, Colombia.


METHODS
Pregnant adolescents aged 13-19 years (n 430) and pregnant women aged 20-49 years (n 1272).


RESULTS
The gestational BMI and sociodemographic characteristics of the adolescents differed from those of the pregnant adult women. Thirty-one per cent of the adolescents were underweight for gestational age, compared with 14·5 % of the adult women. Eighteen per cent of adolescents were overweight for gestational age, in contrast to 37·3 % of adult women. The overall prevalence of anaemia was 44·7 % and the prevalence of low serum ferritin was 38·8 %. Women within the high quintiles of the wealth index (prevalence odds ratio (POR) = 0·56; 95 % CI 0·34, 0·91, P < 0·02) had lower odds of being underweight. Women who received prenatal care (POR = 2·17; 95 % CI 1·48, 3·09, P < 0·001) and were multiparous (POR = 2·10; 95 % CI 1·43, 3·15, P < 0·0 0 1) had higher odds of being overweight. Women in extended families (POR = 0·63; 95 % CI 0·50, 0·95, P < 0·025) had lower odds of being overweight.


CONCLUSIONS
Underweight in pregnant adolescents and overweight in adult women coexist as a double burden in Colombia. Factors associated with malnutrition among pregnant women and adolescents should be considered for future interventions in countries experiencing nutritional transition.
Department of Public Health, School of Medicine, Universidad de los Andes, Carrera 1 18A-10, Bogotá, Colombia. osarmien@uniandes.edu.co
Olga L
OL
Sarmiento
Andrea
A
Ramirez
Belén Samper
BS
Kutschbach
Paula L
PL
Pinzón
Sandra
S
García
Angie C
AC
Olarte
Tatiana
T
Mosquera
Eduardo
E
Atalah
Gabriel
G
Ojeda
Yibby
Y
Forero
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000740:Anemia / Q000453:epidemiology*; D018798:Anemia, Iron-Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003105:Colombia / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005293:Ferritins / Q000097:blood; D006801:Humans; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status; D016017:Odds Ratio; D050177:Overweight / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010298:Parity; D011247:Pregnancy; D011248:Pregnancy Complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011295:Prenatal Care; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013851:Thinness / Q000453:epidemiology*; D055815:Young Adult
D005293:Ferritins