Nutritional Situation of Rural Communities in Nariño, Colombia 2013

Sara Eloísa Del Castillo Matamoros, Teresa Mosquera Vásquez, Eliana Lorena Suárez Higuera, Ana Patricia Heredia Vargas

Department of Human Nutrition, National University of Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia; Food and Nutrition Security Observatory (OBSAN), National University of Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, National University of Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia.

DOI: 10.4236/fns.2014.515164                

Abstract

Objective: To evaluate the nutritional situation by anthropometry of the rural families population aged 0 to 64 years in the municipalities of Pasto, Túquerres, Guachucal, Cumbal and Cuaspud in the Nari?o Department (Colombia). Materials and Methods: As part of the research “Improving potato production as a food security contribution of native communities in Nariño, Colombia”, aged October and December in 2013, an initial diagnosis of the food security situation in farmer families was conducted, through direct visits to the households selected in the sample, where in the household members, after standardization of field team, the anthropometric measures of weight and height were taken, using electronic scales, infantometers and stadiometers. Conclusions: A significant stunting was reported in children up to 7 years. In children aged 0 - 5 years group and children aged 5 - 17 years group, the results exceed by more than double the department data (according to National Survey of the Nutritional Situation in Colombia ENSIN 2010), and almost three times the national data. The underweight was generally low in all the analysed groups, although concerned the significant overweight percentage. In children aged 0 - 5 years group, the overweight data (above 2 SD) exceeded twice the department and national data according to the ENSIN 2010, although in the children aged 5 - 17 years group, the overweight and obesity was lower than the departmental and national data. In adults, the results reported that one of each two people in the range of 18 to 64 years in the five municipalities had excess weight (overweight or obesity) which was similar data respected to the department and national data. Additionally, it was noted that 18% of households were found among adults with overweight, and simultaneously, children with stunting, this situation has been called double burden of malnutrition and this is an aspect that must be analysed to identify intervention strategies.

Keywords

Nutritional Situation, Anthropometry, Stunting, Excess Weight, Nariño’s Rural Families

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

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