Abstract

SOLANO, Liseti et al. Structural poverty and nutritional deficit in pre-school and school children, and adolescents of the South of Valencia, Carabobo State -Venezuela. Salus [online]. 2011, vol.15, n.1, pp.18-22. ISSN 1316-7138.

Poverty, a highly predominant condition in Latin America, is associated with insufficient food intake, undernutrition, poor living conditions, low education, lack of insertion in the productive system and in the social integration network, despair and anomia. In this context, the influence of structural poverty associated variables on nutritional status was assessed in 257 children andadolescents (2-18 years of age), from a poor neighborhood in southern Valencia, Carabobo State. Methodology: Socioeconomic evaluation (Graffar-Méndez Castellano), biomedical history, anthropometric nutritional assessment (body composition, body dimension and mixed indicators) were performed. Results: Families living in Stratum IV were predominant, as well as the unifamiliar structure and 5 people per family or household. 36.6% of nutritional deficit was observed. A significant association between undernutrition and number of families per household was found, and alsobetween a history of diarrhea and acute lower respiratory infections and the number of persons per family, with more prevalence in family groups of more than 5 people. The educational level of the mother also showed a statistically significant relationship with a history of lower respiratory infections, when mothers had primary education or were literate. It is concluded that there is a strong relationship between nutritional deficit and structural poverty variables (number of families per household). The most significant association was observed between poverty measurement methods and nutritional diagnosis of deficit. Inclusion of this method in community research will allow a comprehensive assessment of vulnerable populations.

Keywords : structural poverty; family structure; nutritional deficit; crowding.

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