Open AccessFacing malnutrition and poverty: evaluating the CONIN experience
Author(s) -
OrtizAndrellucchi Adriana,
PeñaQuintana Luis,
SaavedraSantana Pedro,
AlbinoBeñacar Abel,
MonckebergBarros Fernando,
SerraMajem LIuis
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
nutrition reviews
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.958
H-Index - 150
eISSN - 1753-4887
pISSN - 0029-6643
DOI - 10.1111/j.1753-4887.2009.00159.x
Subject(s) - malnutrition , poverty , medicine , gerontology , pediatrics , weight for age , under five , maturity (psychological) , environmental health , demography , psychology , developmental psychology , political science , pathology , sociology , law
The Undernutrition Prevention Center (UPC) of the Corporation for Childhood Nutrition (CONIN) assists children from 0–3 years of age who present with primary or secondary undernutrition. The aim of the retrospective study reported here was to complete a nutritional, cognitive, and social evaluation of UPC children in Mendoza, Argentina, from 1996 to 2005. During the study period, a total of 478 schoolchildren aged 5–17 years (186 in the CONIN group and 292 in the non‐CONIN group) were evaluated. Although no differences in weight and height were found between the groups, the percentage of children below the cutoff level for the maturity test was significantly lower in the CONIN group (10.8% versus 17.6%; P = 0.043). CONIN provides important social support to families through work qualification programs and health education.