Nutrition survey in Tabasco, Mexico: nutritional status of preschool children

Nutritional status of 149 preschool children was evaluated using anthropometric, biochemical, and dietary measures. Stool samples were collected from 111 children for analysis of gastrointestinal parasites. Sixty-eight percent of the children were below the 3rd percentile of height-for-age, using Mexican reference data, but only 15% were below the 10th percentile of weight-for-height. The percentage of children with low biochemical values was: Hb, 14% less than 11 g/100 ml; hematocrit, 16% less than 34%; vitamin A, 36% less than 20 micrograms/100 ml; ascorbic acid, 47% less than 0.2 mg/100 ml; and riboflavin, 47% with EGR-AC greater than or equal to 1.35. None of the subjects had levels of serum albumin less than 3.5 g/100 ml. The average dietary intake was less than two-thirds of the Mexican Recommended Dietary Allowances for vitamin A, niacin, iron, calcium, and riboflavin. Energy and protein intake averaged 81 and 99% of the Recommended Dietary Allowances, respectively. Girls had significantly poorer growth and dietary intake than boys. Gastrointestinal parasites were detected in 75% of the stool samples, but no negative relationship between nutritional status and infection with the most common species (Ascaris, Trichuris, and Strongyloides) was found. Children were significantly thinner in the summer when diarrhea was most prevalent.