Nutritional and anthropometric characterization of the child population of the La América parish

Abstract

Childhood is a crucial stage for growth and health, where maintaining adequate nutrition promotes holistic development, strengthening learning capacity and reducing the risk of future complications. The objective of this research was to evaluate the nutritional and anthropometric characteristics of the child population in the La América parish. A descriptive, observational, cross-sectional, prospective, and quantitative methodology was applied, with a population of 36 children under 5 years of age. The results, based on sociodemographic analysis, revealed a homogeneous distribution with respect to gender, with 50% for each group, and the most frequent age being 5 years 41.2%. According to the nutritional information collected from the parents/guardians, 80.6% of the children participated in recreational activities for 30 minutes every day, and 61.1% of the families maintained healthy eating habits. The children's diet was based primarily on fruits and vegetables 100%, followed by legumes 94.4%, chicken 88.9%, and fish 80.6%. Dairy products such as fresh cheese, whole milk, and butter accounted for 77.8% of consumption, while processed foods and snacks were more evenly distributed. According to the Body Mass Index, approximately 97.2% of the children had a normal weight, and only 2.8% were overweight. These findings suggest favorable conditions within this child population, contributing to optimal development during childhood.