Objectives
Objective: Show the impact of an inadequate intake of micronutrients of indigenous school – children from Mexico.
Methods
Methods: The study was conducted with 70 school-children from indigenous community in San Luis Potosí, Mexico. Heights and weights were measured and a letter of consent was obtained. IMC for age was determined according to WHO criteria. Childrens dietary intake was assessed by a single 24 hours recall suggested in the Procedures Manual for nutritional projects of the Nacional Institute of Public Health (INSP in Spanish). The amount of nutrients intake was calculated based on the nutrient content tables of the program SNUT develop to by INSP.
Results
Results: According with BMI for age, 68.6% of the sample had a normal weight, 20% had underweight risk or underweight and 11.4% overweight or possible risk of overweight. Respecting to micronutrients, only 17% reaches the DRI of calcium, 14.3% of iron, 11.5% of zinc, 3% of vitamin D and 5.7% of folates. According BMI groups, differences exist between sexes, being the women most affected by deficiencies, specifically in nutrients like protein, iron and zinc that are essential for growth and development.
Conclusions
Conclusions: The quality of diet impacts in the nutritional status more than quantity of food consumed even in vulnerable scenarios, therefore, it is necessary to deepen studies and promote strategies that focus on provide the vulnerable population of tools for reach their needs and facilitate the access to rights like education, health services and basic sanitation, since these are the underlying causes of malnutrition.
