Characterization of children under five with severe protein-energy malnutrition treated in a clinic in Timor Leste
<strong>Background</strong>: protein-energy malnutrition is a very common condition in third world countries. In children morbidity and mortality associated with it have increased. <strong><br />Objective</strong>: to characterize children with severe protein-energy mal...
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| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | Spanish |
| Published: |
Centro Provincial de Información de Ciencias Médicas. Cienfuegos
2010-11-01
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| Series: | Medisur |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://medisur.sld.cu/index.php/medisur/article/view/984 |
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| Summary: | <strong>Background</strong>: protein-energy malnutrition is a very common condition in third world countries. In children morbidity and mortality associated with it have increased. <strong><br />Objective</strong>: to characterize children with severe protein-energy malnutrition treated at a clinic in Timor Leste in the period from january to june 2009. <strong><br />Methods</strong>: an observational, descriptive, prospective, cross-sectional study conducted in all children under 5 years old who attended consultation during that period. Inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied. To obtain the data an examination, a clinical and nutritional assessment and a review of the medical records was performed for each patient. <strong><br />Results</strong>: the most affected age group was from 0 to 2 years old (61, 3 %) with a predominance of females (57 %). The predominant type of malnutrition was marasmus (66,7 %), which predominated in children from 0 to 2 years old (68,6 %), whereas in children suffering from kwashiorkor the predominant age group was from 3 to 5 years old (53,4 %). The non-measurement at birth was more frequent (50, 6 %), as well as the improper weaning (in 91, 6 % of the cases) and the sustained breastfeeding beyond six months of age observed in 96, 4 % of children. <strong><br />Conclusion</strong>: the age group from 0 to 2 years old, female sex, improper weaning and breastfeeding maintained after six months of age were predominant. A relationship between age, weaning and breastfeeding for the type of malnutrition with a reliability of 99 % was found. |
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| ISSN: | 1727-897X |