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BackgroundThe aim of this study was to analyse the prevalence of undernutrition, overweight and associated factors, before and after the implementation of the Interoceanic Highway.MethodsA population-based cross-sectional study on children under 5 years of age was conducted in the municipality of Assis Brasil, AC, Brazil, in 2003 and 2010. Prevalence of undernutrition was observed by using height-for-age Z-scores (HAZ) and adopting a cut-off point equal to or lower than a -2 Z-score. Overweight prevalence was defined by a cut-off point equal to or greater than a +2 Z-score of the WHZ index. Z-scores were calculated relative to WHO 2006 reference data. Semi-structured questionnaires were applied to the children’s guardians, investigating family socio-economic and demographic characteristics, morbidities, access to services and child care. Associated factors were identified by hierarchical multiple logistic regression analysis.ResultsThe prevalence of low HAZ (undernutrition) was 7.0% in 2003 and 12.2% in 2010. The prevalence of high WHZ (overweight) was 1.0% and 6.6% for 2003 and 2010, respectively. It was not possible to adjust the multiple model for the year 2003. The factors associated with low HAZ in 2010 were: wealth index, the situation of living with biological parents, maternal height and presence of open sewage, whereas the factors associated with a high WHZ in the same year were: child’s age, mother’s time of residence in the location, mother’s body mass index.ConclusionsOverweight increase within this undernutrition scenario reveals that the process of nutritional transition began in this Amazonian city only in the last decade, and therefore, it is delayed when compared to overweight in other parts of Brazil. Such nutritional transition in Assis Brasil may have been facilitated by the construction of the Interoceanic Highway.

Despite the process of nutritional transition in Brazil, in some places, such as the Amazon region, stunting is still an important public health problem. We identified the prevalence and factors associated with stunting in children under five years old residing in the urban area of Assis Brasil. A survey was conducted in which a questionnaire on socioeconomic, maternal and children's conditions was applied, and height or length was measured. The children with height for age index below -2 Z-scores were considered stunted, according to the criteria by the World Health Organization. Four hundred and twenty-eight children were evaluated. Of these, 62 were stunted. Factors associated with stunting, according to adjusted models, were: the presence of open sewer, the wealth index for households, the receipt of governmental financial aid and the mother's height, age and education. Therefore, it was observed that family and the mother's characteristics as well as environmental and socioeconomic factors were closely related to the occurrence of stunting in the population studied, and such nutritional disturbance is still a health problem in the Brazilian Amazon.

Abstract. Toxocara spp. infection and the seroconversion rate in the Amazon have been poorly investigated. This study analyzed individual and household-level risk factors for the presence of IgG antibodies to Toxocara spp. in urban Amazonian children over a period of 7 years and evaluated the seroconversion rates over a 1-year follow-up. In children 59 months of age, the overall prevalence rate was 28.08% in 2003 and 23.35% in 2010. The 2010-2011 seroconversion rates were 13.90% for children 6-59 months of age and 12.30% for children 84-143 months of age. Multilevel logistic regression analysis identified child age, previous wheezing, and current infection with hookworm as significant associated factors for Toxocara spp. seropositivity in 2003. In 2010, age, previous helminthiasis, and having a dog were associated with seropositivity, whereas having piped water inside the household was a protective factor. Control programs mainly need to target at-risk children, water quality control, and animal deworming strategies.

This study analyzed the evolution of socioeconomic, sanitary, and personal factors as well as spatiotemporal changes in the prevalence of helminthiasis and giardiasis in urban Amazonian children between 2003 and 2011. Child age, lack of sanitation, and lack of access to bottled water were identified as significant associated factors for helminthiasis and giardiasis. There was an overall improvement in socioeconomic and sanitary conditions in the city resulting in decreased helminth prevalences from 12.42 to 9.63% between 2003 and 2010, but the prevalence increased to 15.03% in 2011 due to migratory movement and unstable sanitary conditions. As for Giardiasis, socioeconomic and environmental changes were not enough to reduce prevalence (16% in 2003 and 23% in 2011). Spatial analysis identified a significant cluster for helminthiasis in an area of poor housing conditions. Control programs in the Amazon need to target high-risk areas focusing changes in sanitation, water usage, and health education.

Introdução: A cidade de Iñapari localiza-se no Peru e faz fronteira com a região Amazônica brasileira pelos estados do Acre e Amazonas. As crianças peruanas menores de 5 anos padecem com moderado percentual de anemia e a desnutrição crônica infantil constitui um dos principais problemas de saúde pública no país. O objetivo deste estudo foi levantar a prevalência das principais morbidades da infância, como anemia, desnutrição infantil, parasitoses intestinais, toxocaríase e hepatite A, e investigar a associação entre elas e as condições socioeconômicas e ambientais encontradas em Iñapari. Métodos: Foram realizadas entrevistas com base em questionários, assim como a relação das medidas antropométricas, a coleta de amostra de fezes e a coleta de sangue venoso. Resultados: Dentre os resultados encontrados, destaca-se a prevalência de anemia de 20%, desnutrição crônica avaliada pelo déficit de altura para a idade de 8,5%, presença de patógenos em 24,5% das amostras de fezes tendo como principal patógeno Giardia intestinalis (14,7%), prevalência de toxocaríase de 33,3% e de hepatite A de 23,3%. Conclusão: Neste estudo ficou evidenciada a associação entre os desfechos e as más condições de moradia e higiene da população. A baixa renda mostrou-se claramente associada à presença de desnutrição e anemia.