[Prevalence of malnutrition in preschool children in Tabasco, Mexico].

Childhood malnutrition is an important and prevailing public health problem in Tabasco, Mexico, where precise information is still lacking. Tabasco Public Health Department has been working on this problem since 1991. The first nutritional survey was carried out to recognize the nutritional level of 935 randomly selected children between 1-4 years of age in 17 municipalities of the state. A proportion of 46% of childhood malnutrition level was found in this Mexican state (29.8 low, 12.8% moderate and 3.4% severe). Ninety percent of severe childhood malnutrition cases were located in the rural municipalities of Tacotalpa, Nacajuca, Jonuta, Macuspana and Centla. These municipalities were more affected, with a malnutrition prevalence of 63%, 62.2%, 60%, 59.5% and 59.4%, respectively. Results from these surveys identify high risk areas and may serve to advance specific proposals for nutrition interventions.