Abstract

PEREZ, Ruth; HILDA AYA, Dora; PRIETO, Franklyn  and  PINZON-RONDON, Ángela María. REDUCTION OF MALNUTRITION PREVALENCES THROUGH HEALTH PROMOTION IN GROUPS OF SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN IN A LOCALITY OF BOGOTA. rev.udcaactual.divulg.cient. [online]. 2012, vol.15, n.1, pp.35-42. ISSN 0123-4226.

Malnutrition is prevalent in school aged children. It impairs the health and school performance of those affected in the short and in the long run. The objective of this study was to identify the changes in the prevalence of malnutrition in groups of school-aged children that were intervened by medical students with a strategy that combined educational activities, health evaluation, and actions directed to children with particular problems. This article presents the evaluation of the program "Salud Escolar Integral" [Comprehensive School Health]. This program was conducted by medical students from Universidad del Rosario School of Medicine and Health Sciences. An ecological study was done with measures before and after intervention. Population: Elementary school students from 5 to 8 years of age. Acute, chronic, and global undernourishment were calculated. During the five years of monitoring an statistically significant decrease was found in the prevalence of acute malnutrition from 4.5 to 0.6%, global malnutrition from 11.8 to 5.8%, and chronic malnutrition from 16.4 to 8.3%. This study presents evidence on the effectiveness of a comprehensive interventional program developed by medical students to decrease undernourishment on school age children.

Keywords : Nutritional status; child nutritional disorders; food and nutritional education; health promotion.

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