Desnutrición en niños menores de 5 años en Latinoamérica

Abstract

Introduction: Malnutrition is the result of a lack of nutrient intake and occurs mainly in children under 5 years of age, causing biopsychosocial dysfunction. Objective: To conduct a narrative literature research addressing prevalence, risk factors, types, complications, treatment, and interventions for malnutrition in children under 5 years of age in Latin America. Methodology: 50 national and international articles were selected according to health descriptors (DeCS-MeSH); the search strategy included keywords combined with Boolean operators AND and OR considering original research between the years 2016-2020 as main inclusion criteria applying in digital databases as well as health instances: Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, Taylor & Francis, Springer, Pubmed, ProQuest, ReseachGate, Dialnet, Redalyc, Scielo, WHO, FAO, UNICEF, and MINSALUD. Results and discussion: from the results found in Mexico, Colombia, Paraguay, and Argentina, there is a higher prevalence in girls under 2 years of age living in rural areas of indigenous descent; it is due to economic, environmental, social, cultural, and biological factors. It is classified by insufficient calories, protein, and mixed intake; possible complications are reflected in systemic diseases that alter the individual's organic functions. Therapy is based on supplementation with vitamins, minerals, adequate nutrition, and timely comprehensive interventions by health personnel. Conclusion: the lack of health programs and commitment of the professionals in the implementation of pertinent strategies for joint work with the most affected population is evident.