Nutritional status and dietary habits of Indian children from Alto Xingu (Central Brazil) according to age.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the nutritional status and dietary habits of children of the Alto Xingu, Central Brazil, according to age.

SUBJECTS

172 Indian children (<10 years of age) of Alto Xingu tribes.

METHODS

Date of birth, sex, weight, height (NCHS reference) and questionnaire of dietary habits at the time of field work.

RESULTS

Of the 103 children less than 5 years of age, 34% presented protein-energy malnutrition (PEM), according to Gomez's criteria, of which only 2% with grade II malnutrition and no child presented severe PEM. In relation to the Z scores for the 172 children studied, it was observed that those younger than 1 year (n=25) presented weight for age (median, M=+0.43) and weight for height (M=+1.33) greater (p<0.05) than the children with ages between 12 and 60 months (n=78) (weight for age, M=-0.54; weight for height, M=+0.29) and between 60 and 120 months (n=69) (weight for age, M=-0.78; weight for height, M=+0.27). The height for age Z scores for the population studied showed a shift to the left in relation to the reference population in the three age groups (<12 months, M=-0.95; 12 to 60 months, M=-1.22 and 60 to 120 months, M=-1.40). The mothers nursed, without exception, to the age of 24 months, and the frequency of breastfeeding decreased progressively to age 42 months. The introduction of solid foods started at the age of 6 months and after the 10th month all the children ate "beiju" (flat bread), fruit and fish.

CONCLUSION

The nutritional status of Alto Xingu Indian children, in 1992, is adequate and similar to that previously observed between 1974 and 1980.