FACTORS INFLUENCING CHRONIC CHILD MALNUTRITION IN ECUADOR
Keywords:
Child Nutrition Disorders; Growth Disorders; Risk Factors; Socioeconomic Factors; Social Determinants of Health; EcuadorAbstract
DOI: https://doi.org/10.46296/gt.v9i18edespsep.0436
Abstract
Childhood chronic malnutrition (CCM) is a priority public health problem in Ecuador, characterized by socioeconomic, territorial, and ethnic inequalities, and determined by the interaction of biological, maternal-child, environmental, and social factors. The objective of the study was to synthesize and analyze the scientific evidence on the factors associated with CCM in children under five years of age in Ecuador between 2014 and 2024. A systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA 2020 guidelines through searches in PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science, SciELO, LILACS, and Redalyc, selecting original studies analyzed through narrative and thematic synthesis. A total of 12 studies were included. Findings showed higher vulnerability in rural and Indigenous populations, as well as in socioeconomically disadvantaged households. Associated factors identified included low maternal education and family income, low maternal height, prematurity, small size at birth, inadequate breastfeeding, anemia, infectious diseases, food insecurity, water and sanitation deficiencies, and healthcare access barriers. Furthermore, the coexistence of CCM and adult overweight was observed, highlighting the double burden of malnutrition. It was concluded that CCM in Ecuador exhibits a multifactorial behavior, requiring comprehensive, intersectoral, and territorially differentiated interventions, with an emphasis on rural and Indigenous populations and on strengthening maternal-child healthcare, food security, safe water, sanitation, and social protection.
Keywords: Child Nutrition Disorders; Growth Disorders; Risk Factors; Socioeconomic Factors; Social Determinants of Health; Ecuador.
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