Patterns of intra-familiar distribution of undernutrition: methods and applications for developing societies

Abstract

Objective: To propose a method to assess patterns of intra-familiar distribution of undernutrition and apply it to different socioeconomic strata of the Brazilian population. Design: A large nationally representative cross-sectional anthropometric survey undertaken in 1989 is the primary source of information. Undernutrition was de®ned as body mass index (adults) and weight-for-age (children) below the 5th percentile of a healthy and non-malnourished reference population. Log-linear models were used to assess patterns of intra-familiar distribution of nutritional status in four income strata. Subjects: Two thousand, one hundred and seventy-four families composed by at least one child 6±36 month-old and his/her father and mother. Setting: All regions in Brazil. Results: Undernutrition was signi®cantly associated among household members only for the 25% poorest families (P`0.0001). In this group, the presence of undernutrition in the mother or the father increased 1.6±1.9 times the risk of undernutrition in the child and the presence of undernutrition in the father made it 2.7 times more frequent in the mother. The relatively small prevalence ratios suggest that even in extremely poor families only a small proportion of undernutrition could be attributed to common household determinants. Conclusion: Our results are consistent with the hypothesis that in transitional societies undernutrition would appear as a global family problem only for those at the earlier stages of the nutrition transition. Policies and strategies to overcome undernutrition should take this fact into account.

The effect of leprosy-induced deformity on the nutritional status of index cases and their household members in rural South India: a socio-economic perspective

“…Family anthropometry has been recognized as an important strategy for determining community nutrition (Dugdale, 1985). The pattern of intra-familiar undernutrition is, in part, related to the nutritional status of the headaparents of the family (Monteiro et al, 1997). Our data supports this observation.…”

The coexistence of child undernutrition and maternal overweight: prevalence, hypotheses, and programme and policy implications

“…First, we note that SCOWT is one expression of a dissociation of intra‐familial nutritional status. In line with results and hypotheses here, Monteiro et al . (1997) have previously noted economic development as a reason for a lessening of the strength of these intra‐familial associations.…”

Haematological alterations in protein malnutrition

“…In the South and Southeast regions of Brazil, however, the prevalence of malnourished children is as low as 8% to 9%. 16 Malnutrition may originate from the deficiency or absence of any nutrient. The establishment and severity of a state of malnutrition depend on the cause, intensity and duration of nutritional deficiency.…”