Nutritional Assessment of Preschool Children Inhabiting at High Geographical Altitude in the Antofagasta de la Sierra Department, Catamarca, Argentina

PACHECO AGÜERO, ROSARIO ELIZABETH; ARAYA FRANCO EXEQUIEL ; LOMAGLIO DELIA BEATRIZ

International Journal of Pediatrics and Child Health

Licensee Savvy Science Publisher

Lugar: Pakistán; Año: 2023 vol. 11 p. 58 - 64

The growth and development of children are profoundly influenced by dietary habits, lifestyles, andenvironmental factors, which begin to shape early in ontogeny. In high-altitude populations, geographical stressors, suchas permanent hypoxia, add further complexity and cannot be modified by human intervention. This study aimed todescribe the nutritional status of preschoolers in a high-altitude area of northwestern Argentina.A cross-sectional and descriptive study was carried out in 59 children aged 4 and 5 years from the towns of El Peñónand Antofagasta de la Sierra (3320 masl), Antofagasta de la Sierra department, Catamarca, Argentina. Anthropometricmeasurements, including weight (W), height (H), waist circumference, mid-upper arm circumference, and tricipital (T)and subscapular (S) skinfolds. Various indices and indicators, such as body mass index (BMI), waist-to-height ratio(WHtR), subscapular tricipital index (STI), and upper arm fat (UFA) and muscle area (UMA), were calculated.Additionally, the ratios of W/H, H/A (H for age), and BMI/A (BMI for age) were determined. Abdominal obesity wasassessed using WHtR, and fat distribution was analyzed using STI. Protein and caloric reserves were estimated basedon UMA and UFA, respectively.The study revealed a low prevalence of low weight (3.7%) but a high prevalence of overweight (20.3%) and obesity(3.4%) among the evaluated preschool children. Notably, 30.0% of overweight children and 16.0% of normal weightchildren exhibited centralized fat distribution. Abdominal obesity was observed in 90.0% of overweight children and42.2% of normal weight children. Stunting was also observed in 8.5% of the individuals. Additionally, a considerableprevalence of low caloric and protein reserves was identified.These findings confirm the coexistence of deficit and excess malnutrition states, indicating a double burden ofmalnutrition, among the preschoolers of Antofagasta de la Sierra. Moreover, the study highlights the accumulation anddistribution of abdominal and centralized fat as significant concerns in this population.