Valoración nutricional de niños y adolescentes residentes en zonas urbano-marginales de Guayaquil

Introduction: Children and adolescents from low-income households are more likely to suffer from malnutrition, a condition associated with lack of immunization, early weaning, and reliance on street food. Objective: To assess the nutritional status of children and adolescents living in urban-marginal areas of Guayaquil. Methodology: A cross-sectional, descriptive, and observational study was conducted. Nutritional status was evaluated using the anthropometric indices weight-for-age, height-for-age, and body mass index (BMI)-for-age. A 3-day dietary recall was applied to determine average daily intake of calories, macronutrients, micronutrients, and fiber. Results: Regarding anthropometric indices by gender, both boys and girls were mostly within normal ranges for weight-for-age and BMI-for-age (66.4%). However, the combined prevalence of overweight (31.9%) and obesity (1.7%) amounted to 33.6%. In terms of dietary intake, deficits were observed in calories (47.9%), carbohydrates (66.4%), total fats (44.5%), monounsaturated fats (52.9%), dietary fiber (90.8%), and calcium (93.3%). In contrast, an excessive intake of protein (40.3%) and iron (82.4%) was found. Discussion: The findings of this study differ from those reported in other research conducted in similar populations. Conclusions: Although the majority of participants presented anthropometric parameters within normal ranges, a high prevalence of overweight and obesity was observed, likely influenced by economic, cultural, and accessibility factors, as well as lifestyle.