Factores asociados a peso bajo para la edad en niños amazónicos

Abstract

Objective. This paper presents data of physical growth of 689 children under 5 years borned in the eighties in Iquitos and Punchana, Peruviari Amazon. The data were based on a clinical and nutritional research survey and a multiple stratified probability sample procedure was used. The statistical analysis were performed on EPI-INFO Version 6.04 and MULTLR and included: prevalence of z-score under -2 standard deviation for weight/age, means and standard deviation, ANIOVA, t-test, relative risk and odds ratio. The prevalence of low weight/age was 12.5% and the most relevant bivariate relative risk were observed for the following variables: Wood as prevailing material at the house (RR=3.04, CI 95%=1.60-5.76); without toilet facilities (Rb2.91, CI 95%=1.39-6.08) and without sewage system (RR=2.39, IC 95%: 1 A.3-2.34). The final model obtained from the unconditional logistic regression included the following variables as independent risk factors significantly associated with low weight/age: Low birth weight (OR=3.19, IC 95%: 1.65-6.15); wood as prevailing material at the house (OR=1.78, IC 95%:1.21-2.61) and diarrhea on the last 15 days before the interview (OR=2.26, IC 95%: 1.32-3.87). These findings corroborate the influence of ecological factors on the determination of low weight/age.