Abstract

TEJERINA, Melisa et al. Prevalence of Malnutrition and Associated Factors in Women of the Wichí People in General Ballivián, Province of Salta. Rev. argent. salud pública [online]. 2018, vol.9, n.34, pp.29-34. ISSN 1852-7513.

. INTRODUCTION: Malnutrition (MN) is a global problem. Its causes, mechanisms and consequences have economic, biological and socio-cultural particularities. Studies on indigenous people showed a prevalence of childhood MN higher than in non-indigenous population. However, the nutritional status of women of reproductive age has not been studied. OBJECTIVES: To know the prevalence of MN by deficit (MND) or excess (MNE) and the factors associated with it in Wichi women of General Ballivian, Salta province. METHODS: The prevalence of MN was determined by anthropometry. Socioeconomic, biohealth and food variables were considered. A total of 141 women were studied (Wichi, 12 years of age or older, non-pregnant, without physical or mental disability). A case-control study was carried out, not paired, with case group 1 MNE (80), case group 2 MND (4) and control group: eutrophic (Eu) (57). Data was processed with SPSS Statistics 20.0. RESUETS: The study showed 3% of MND, 40% of Eu and 57% of MNE, with a statistically significant association between MND and adolescence and between MNE and multiparity, absence of teeth, adulthood and inadequate schooling. According to OR (odds ratio), the risk of MNE is greater in multiparous and monolingual women, MNE increases the risk of loss of teeth and inadequate schooling increases the risk of MNE by almost 13 times. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of MNE is high, associated with age, multiparity, inadequate education, monolingualism and micronutrient deficiencies.

Keywords : Woman; Wichí; Malnutrition.

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