Abstract

"Background: In the year 2003, the Ministry of Health replaced rice from the Complementary Nutritional National Program destined to malnourished and in risk children, for a product with higher nutritional value (""Mi Sopita""). Objective: Evaluate the effect of this intervention in the nutritional evolution of children under 6 years-old, in risk or suffering malnutrition. Method: Retrospective cohort of 1.576 children registered in the program 6 months earlier in 300 Primary Care establishments. Analysis of the evolution of anthropometric indicators for a period of 6 months, in function of the initial diagnosis and age. Logistic regressions of multiple factors to determine the variables associated to a better nutritional evolution. Results: 80% of cases presented nutritional risk and the rest malnutrition. In 6 months, the median value of change in Z score for weight/age was + 0,3 SD (95% IC 0,3-0,3), height/age +0,3 SD (0,3-0,4) and weight/height +0,5 SD (0,3-0,6) in children with initial values < -2 SD. The change was approximately 0,1 SD for the group with nutritional risk. Between 44% and 69% of the children with malnutrition got partially better or normalized their nutritional status according to the different indicators (p < 0,001). The most determinant factor for better evolution was major initial nutritional deficit (OR 4,4 IC 3,2-6,1 p < 0,001 for weight/age). Conclusions: The program has a positive effect in the recovery of malnourished children and it avoids major nutritional deterioration in children at risk"