Epidemiology of Child Malnutrition in Colombia

Abstract

Child malnutrition is defined as that condition associated with a deficient intake of nutrients, which may be secondary to poor diet or assimilation of these which interfere with the proper functioning of the organism. The globally accepted anthropometric parameters for measuring nutritional status are: weight for height, weight for age, height for age; which must be below 2 standard deviations. Child malnutrition is the consequence of multiple causes, including physical, psychosocial, economic, political, and cultural factors, over which food insecurity, low schooling, and access to basic sanitation prevail. Malnutrition is an important cause of infant morbidity and mortality.