Nutritional status of children in the third level of preschoolers: The Kindergarten and School Ruben Dario Dario city of León

Abstract

A good nutritional status supports proper physical and intellectual development and contributes to ensuring a long and healthy life. Identifying the nutritional status of a community and its associated factors allows for the evaluation of health programs in order to make necessary changes. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the nutritional status and socioeconomic factors affecting children in the third level of preschool at Rubén Darío Kindergarten and Rubén Darío School in the city of León. Anthropometric measurements were taken for the children in the aforementioned population, and their nutritional classification was determined using Z-scores. A survey was also administered to the children's parents to collect socioeconomic data. Using weight-for-height (W/H) parameters, the study found that 16.8% of the children had mild malnutrition, 5% had moderate malnutrition, and 1 child showed severe malnutrition. Additionally, 55.4% had normal nutrition, 13% were obese, and 8% were overweight. Children attending Rubén Darío School were more likely to present with malnutrition, while children at the Kindergarten were more likely to be overweight or obese. Among the most influential socioeconomic factors were family income, parents’ educational level, and the habit of eating between meals.