[Food and nutritional security in a risk area for malaria]

To explore some relationships between alimentary and nutritional security (SAN) and nutritional status in an endemic malaria community, applying qualitative and quantitative methods simultaneously. The study was descriptive and prospective. The population were all farming Afro-American families who live in the basin of the river Valle (Bahía Solano. Chocó, Colombia) that derived the base of their feeding of the agriculture. The SAN was measured from the monthly availability of foods and was classified in adequate and inadequate according to the available monthly caloric balance percentage. We determined the risk of acute malnutrition (indicative P/T), chronic (T/E), global (P/E) and risk of thinness (BMI). We sought for malarian cases. The official data of illness were revised. We applied surveys to know the morbidity and knowledge, attitudes and practices in malaria infections, 29% of homes had alimentary insecurity. There was protein deficit and iron of high availability, calcium and vitamin A in 100% of families. In children under 6 years old, we found 31% and 69%, in same order, with low P/T and T/E, while in the 6-10 year old children had 14% and 41%, respectively. In adolescents (11 to 17 years old) the risk of thinness was 15% and in adults 3%. There was not association between alimentary available and family nutritional status. These results suggest subclinics deficiencies of micronutrients.