Influencia de los hábitos alimenticios en el estado nutricional de los niños y niñas de 3 a 12 años que acuden al Centro de Salud Paute, 2022

Abstract

Background: the nutritional status of children and adolescents is a direct indicator of their health status. In Ecuador, malnutrition is one of the public health problems that have been treated without further progress, it is estimated that the prevalence of malnutrition child is 25.3%, and in the case of overweight it is 8.6%, both above the average in Latin America, which is 7.5% and 4.5%, respectively. It is necessary to promote research in this field to provide elements for a better approach. Objective: To determine the influence of the eating habits of children and adolescents from 3 to 12 years of age, on their nutritional status, Paute Health Center, 2022. Methodology: A quantitative, analytical, cross-sectional study, was carried out at the Paute Health Center, Azuay. We worked with a sample of 327 children and adolescents, with their prior acceptance of consent and informed assent. A questionnaire of eating habits called "Krece plus test" was applied, and their nutritional status was determined by means of the Body Mass Index according to the WHO standard deviation curves, the results were processed in the statistical package SPSS version 25. Conclusion: The nutritional status of the children and adolescents who attended the Paute Health Center was generally normal, and their eating habits were average.