Department of Research and Health Technology Assessment, Gorgas Memorial Institute for Health Studies, Panama.
Dietetic and Nutrition Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Panama, Panama.
Ann Glob Health. 2024 Aug 8;90(1):51. doi: 10.5334/aogh.4409. eCollection 2024.
Malnutrition has important short- and long-term consequences in children under age five. Malnutrition encompasses undernutrition, overnutrition, and the coexistence of both of them, known as the double burden of malnutrition (DBM). The aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of undernutrition, overnutrition, and the DBM among these children at the national level and by living area in Panama. Data from the National Health Survey of Panama (ENSPA, Spanish acronym), a population-based, cross-sectional study carried out in 2019 were used. Stunting, wasting, overweight, and obesity were defined according to the cut-off points of the World Health Organization Growth Standards. Undernutrition was defined as being stunted only, wasted only or both; overnutrition was defined as being overweight only or obese only; and the DBM was defined as the co-occurence of stunting and overweight/obesity in the same child. Prevalence and general characteristics at the national level and by living area were weighted. The prevalence of undernutrition was 15.3% (95% confidence interval (CI) 13.4-17.3) at the national level and 36.6% (CI: 30.1-43.5) in indigenous areas. The prevalence of overnutrition was 10.2% (8.2-12.6) at the national level and 11.9% (CI: 8.5-16.3), 8.4% (CI: 6.5-10.7) and 8.7% (CI: 5.2-14.3) in urban, rural and indigenous areas, respectively. The DBM prevalence was 1.4% (CI: 1.0-2.1) at the national level and 2.7% (CI: 1.4-5.1) in indigenous areas. Undernutrition is still the most prevalent malnutrition condition in our country. Panama has the highest prevalence of overnutrition in Central America. The highest prevalence of undernutrition and DBM was found among children living in indigenous areas.
营养不良对五岁以下儿童有重要的短期和长期影响。营养不良包括营养不足、营养过剩以及两者同时存在，被称为营养不良的双重负担（DBM）。本研究旨在估计巴拿马全国和不同居住地区五岁以下儿童营养不良的发生率，包括营养不足、营养过剩和 DBM。本研究使用了 2019 年进行的一项基于人群的横断面研究——巴拿马国家健康调查（ENSPA）的数据。按照世界卫生组织生长标准的切点定义发育迟缓、消瘦、超重和肥胖。仅存在发育迟缓、消瘦或两者同时存在定义为营养不足；仅存在超重或肥胖定义为营养过剩；而 DBM 则定义为同一儿童同时存在发育迟缓与超重/肥胖。按照全国和不同居住地区的权重计算了营养不良的发生率和一般特征。全国营养不良的发生率为 15.3%（95%置信区间：13.4-17.3），而土著地区为 36.6%（95%置信区间：30.1-43.5）。全国超重的发生率为 10.2%（8.2-12.6），而城市、农村和土著地区分别为 11.9%（95%置信区间：8.5-16.3）、8.4%（95%置信区间：6.5-10.7）和 8.7%（95%置信区间：5.2-14.3）。全国 DBM 的发生率为 1.4%（95%置信区间：1.0-2.1），而土著地区为 2.7%（95%置信区间：1.4-5.1）。营养不良仍然是我国最普遍的营养不良状况。巴拿马在中美洲地区的超重发生率最高。营养不足和 DBM 的发生率在居住在土著地区的儿童中最高。
