Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 26, 2026

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
09:36

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

Published on: February 2, 2017

Secondary malnutrition and overweight in a pediatric referral hospital: associated factors

Rocío Macías-Rosales1, Edgar M Vásquez-Garibay, Alfredo Larrosa-Haro

  • 1Unidad Médica de Alta Especialidad Hospital de Pediatría, Centro Médico Nacional de Occidente, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, Guadalajara Jalisco, México.

Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition
|January 31, 2009
PubMed

Insights

This study found that malnutrition and overweight affect children in a pediatric hospital. Factors like clinical condition, age, family size, and illness duration influence malnutrition, while overweight is linked to age, sex, and paternal education.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Nutrition
  • Public Health
  • Clinical Epidemiology

Background:

  • Malnutrition and overweight are significant global health concerns in children.
  • Understanding the factors contributing to these conditions is crucial for effective intervention.
  • Pediatric referral hospitals serve a vulnerable population requiring specific nutritional assessment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of malnutrition and overweight in a pediatric referral hospital.
  • To identify clinical and sociodemographic factors associated with malnutrition and overweight.
  • To inform nutritional strategies in pediatric care settings.

Main Methods:

  • A cross-sectional study was conducted on a random sample of 641 pediatric patients.
  • Malnutrition was defined using z-scores for weight/height and height/age.
  • Overweight and overweight risk were defined based on body mass index percentiles.

Main Results:

  • Prevalence rates: acute malnutrition (8%), chronic malnutrition (17.0%), overweight risk (15.4%), and overweight (12.2%).
  • Malnutrition was associated with hospitalization, non-surgical care, number of siblings, age, and illness duration.
  • Overweight was associated with age, sex (boys), and father's educational level.

Conclusions:

  • Overweight is as prevalent as malnutrition in this pediatric population.
  • Clinical and sociodemographic factors significantly influence nutritional status.
  • Overweight represents a novel nutritional challenge in Mexican pediatric referral hospitals.
Abstract

Related Concept Videos

Obesity01:24

Obesity

The Body Mass Index (BMI) is a numerical value derived from a person's weight and height, used to categorize individuals into weight ranges. It is calculated using the formula: weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared. Obesity is a health condition characterized by excessive accumulation of adipose tissue that poses health risks, often diagnosed with a BMI ≥ 30. This excess fat storage occurs when surplus dietary calories are converted into triglycerides and stored in adipocytes...
Anorexia Nervosa01:28

Anorexia Nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is a complex and severe eating disorder characterized by an intense fear of weight gain, an unrelenting pursuit of thinness, and a distorted body image. It often leads to dangerously low body weight relative to an individual's age and height. This disorder is marked by significant physical and psychological consequences, making it one of the most life-threatening psychiatric illnesses.
Symptoms and Physical Effects
Individuals with anorexia nervosa commonly exhibit extreme...
Bulimia Nervosa01:30

Bulimia Nervosa

Bulimia nervosa is a complex and severe eating disorder characterized by a cyclical pattern of binge-and-purge eating pattern. It generally involves an episode of binge eating, followed by compensatory behaviors such as vomiting, excessive exercise, laxative use, or fasting, to prevent weight gain. Despite often maintaining a normal weight, individuals with bulimia are intensely preoccupied with their body image and harbor an overwhelming fear of gaining weight. This can contribute to the...
Drug Dosing: Obese Patients01:21

Drug Dosing: Obese Patients

In the United States, obesity is a prominent concern. It is linked to heightened mortality rates due to increased occurrences of conditions such as hypertension, atherosclerosis, coronary artery disease, and diabetes compared to nonobese individuals. A patient is classified as obese if their actual body weight surpasses the ideal or desirable body weight by 20%, based on Metropolitan Life Insurance Company data. Ideal body weights consider average weights and heights for males and females...
Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution01:17

Pharmacokinetics in Pediatric Patients: Drug Distribution

Drug distribution in the pediatric population exhibits unique challenges and considerations due to the physiological differences between children, particularly neonates and infants, and adults. A crucial aspect of pediatric pharmacology is understanding how these differences impact the pharmacokinetics of various drugs, necessitating age-specific dosing strategies to ensure efficacy and safety.Neonates and infants have a higher total body water content, ~75%–90% of their body weight, compared...
Overview of Protein Metabolism01:21

Overview of Protein Metabolism

Proteins are broken down into amino acids during digestion. Unlike fats and carbohydrates, which are stored for later use, proteins are not. Instead, amino acids are either used to produce ATP through oxidation or contribute to the creation of new proteins for the growth and repair of the body. Any surplus amino acids from the diet are converted into glucose or triglycerides rather than excreted.
Amino acids play various roles in the body once they are absorbed into cells. They are restructured...