[Differentiation of the nutritional status of preschool children, according to socioeconomic levels, in a marginal zone].

This article informs of a study carried out in an attempt to validate a new methodology to differentiate socioeconomic levels in a low income urban population group, as well as to correlate each level with the degree of malnutrition of preschool children, using the Gómez and Waterlow classifications. The socioeconomic indicators selected were: housing, main occupational activity and educational level of the head of the family, number of members per room, food expenditure per capita, per week, and ownership of a few household articles. A scale was constructed on the basis of the afore-mentioned indicators, and values were assigned on a point system, resulting in three levels: high, medium and low. Weight and height were determined in preschool children. In order to establish correlation of anthropometric data with socioeconomic levels, and to determine if such levels permitted to differentiate the degree of malnutrition, two types of nutritional classifications were used. Of the total of 187 families selected, 46 were evaluated as of high level, 72 medium and 69, low. Analysis of the weight-for-age and weight-for-height in children 24 to 47 months of age, and total preschool children, that is, from 12 to 59 months, revealed significant differences in both classifications, p less than 0.001. The authors conclude that the point scale applied to determine socioeconomic levels, was sufficiently sensitive in distinguishing the degree of malnutrition in preschool children, especially when analyzing the total population; though not significant in a few age groups, this was probably due to the reduced number of same. It is recommended that the Gómez classification be used permanently, particularly in cross-sectional surveys, and the Waterlow classification, because of its rapid diffusion in the world.