Resumen

SOTILLO, Carolina  y  SPIZZO, Renata. E valuación antropométrica nutricional de adultos de una comunidad de damnificados. INCI [online]. 2003, vol.28, n.2, pp.95-99. ISSN 0378-1844.

Summary     In developing countries undernutrition and obesity are related with the main causes of death. This phenomenon is related to dietary changes and lifestyle. The main objective of this study was to assess the nutritional status and the prevalence of undernutrition and obesity in a group of adults from a community of survivors of a natural disaster in Caracas, Venezuela. The study included 84 adults, 31 men and 53 women between 18 and 70 years old. All subjects were classified by Body Mass Index (BMI), Upper Arm Muscular Area, and Body Fat Percent as normal, low deficit, very low deficit and obesity. The prevalence of obesity and undernutrition was higher using a combination of indexes than with the BMI alone. Men showed a higher prevalence of undernutrition than women, and women showed the highest percent of obesity. Obesity and undernutrtition were more prevalent among the group 40-49 years old, with the highest percent of obesity in women and undernutrition in men. This study shows a high degree of undernutrition and obesity in a group of adults of a low socioeconomic level. This points to the need of nutrition intervention programs to teach poor families how to improve their nutritional status through the appropriate combination of foods/nutrients and changes in their lifestyle.

Palabras clave : Antropometría ; Comunidad Pobre ; Damnificados ; Malnutrición ; Obesidad .