Malnutrition and associated factors among quilombola children under 60 months of age in two cities of the state of Maranhão, Brazil

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of malnutrition in children under 60 months of age living in quilombo remnant communities of two municipalities in the state of Maranhão and their associated factors. Methods: This is a cross-sectional study conducted with a sample of 372 children in August 2015. Socioeconomic, demographic, maternal and child information were collected. The anthropometry followed the one proposed by the World Health Organization. Height-for-age and weight-for-height rates were calculated using Anthro software version 3.2.2. Poisson regression was performed with a robust variance for the association of malnutrition with the studied variables, using Stata software version 14.0. Results: Child malnutrition was high for height-for-age (15.1%) and weight-for-height (7%). Children whose mothers had a short height (< 1.497 m) were more likely to have height-for-age deficits (p < 0.05). No variables were statistically associated with low weight-for-height. Conclusion: Child malnutrition persists as a public health problem in vulnerable regions, and maternal factors such as low maternal height may explain the short stature of the children. The need for actions to address this nutritional deviation is pointed out.

摘要
研究目的：评估巴西马拉尼昂州两个市镇的昆博姆博（quilombo）遗留社区内，60月龄以下儿童营养不良的患病率及其相关影响因素。
研究方法：本研究为横断面研究，于2015年8月纳入372名儿童作为研究样本。研究收集了社会经济、人口学、母亲及儿童相关信息。人体测量学指标参照世界卫生组织（World Health Organization）制定的标准执行。采用Anthro软件（Anthro）版本3.2.2计算年龄别身高与身高别体重的营养不良患病率。使用Stata软件（Stata）版本14.0，以稳健方差泊松回归分析营养不良与各研究变量之间的关联。
研究结果：该研究人群中，儿童年龄别身高营养不良患病率为15.1%，身高别体重营养不良患病率为7%，营养不良情况较为严重。母亲身高低于1.497米的儿童，发生年龄别身高不足的风险显著升高（p < 0.05）。未发现与身高别体重偏低存在统计学关联的变量。
研究结论：弱势地区的儿童营养不良仍是一项亟待解决的公共卫生问题，母亲身高偏低等母体因素或可解释儿童身材矮小的成因。本研究强调，亟需采取针对性措施以纠正该类营养偏差问题。