La triple carga de malnutrición infantil en Ecuador: una revisión desde la salud pública

Ecuador faces a multifaceted nutritional crisis, characterized by the simultaneous occurrence of chronic malnutrition (20.1%), childhood overweight (9.4%), and micronutrient deficiencies, which particularly affect children, pregnant women, and vulnerable populations. The objective of this review is to analyze the biological, social, economic, psychological, and cultural factors that influence child nutrition. An interdisciplinary literature review methodology was used, considering national and international studies on nutrition, public health, and eating behavior. The 36.8% of results show that family practices, unequal access to nutritious foods, poor nutrition education, and limited coordination between public policies and technology contribute to the persistence of the problem. It is concluded that a sustainable response requires a comprehensive, contextualized, and gender-sensitive approach that articulates efforts between governments, educational institutions, families, and health professionals to promote healthy eating behaviors from childhood.