Anaemia and malnutrition in children under 5 years of age, attended to at the Ecuadorian Social Security Institute-jipijapa, period 2023

Abstract

Anaemia and malnutrition are major public health problems affecting children around the world, especially in resource-limited areas. The serious consequences of these conditions on children's physical and cognitive development, as well as their quality of life. The objective of this study was to identify anemia and malnutrition in children under 5 years of age, attended at the Ecuadorian Institute of Social Security-Jipijapa, period 2023. A descriptive observational study was carried out, using data obtained from the institution's database. In the results, it was observed that several hematological indices of the red series were altered, although no significant difference was found between the hematological status and the nutritional status of the population under study. Regarding nutritional status, most children (95%) were of normal weight, while a small percentage were overweight (3.5%) and an even smaller percentage were malnourished (1.5%). However, no significant relationship was found between hematological indices and the nutritional status of children. In conclusion, this study provides valuable information on the hematological indices and nutritional status of children under 5 years of age attended at the Social Security Institute-Jipijapa. Although no significant relationship was found between these two factors, it highlights the importance of continuous monitoring of children's health and investigating other possible risk factors that may influence and be directly related to anemia and chronic child malnutrition.