Nutritional status of children from low-income countries arriving in Spain

作者：Belhassen Garcia Moncef^*; Velasco Tirado Virginia; Lopez Bernus Amparo; Munoz Bellido Juan Luis; Muro Antonio; Cordero Miguel; Pardo Lledias Javier

来源：International Health, 2017, 9(5): 294-300.

DOI：10.1093/inthealth/ihx029

• Anaemia
• Child
• Helminthiasis
• Immigrants
• Nutritional status

Background: Nutritional problems, anaemia and infectious diseases are themain causes of morbidity andmortality in children and adolescents in tropical and subtropical areas. The main objective of this study was to determine the nutritional status in children from low-income countries who migrated to Spain and the value of the usual biochemistry markers of nutrition in these children, as well as to evaluate the nutritional status associated with imported infectious diseases. Moreover, we evaluated the association between anaemia and nutrition problems.
Methods: We prospectively evaluated immigrants younger than 18 years of age, from tropical or subtropical areas, who were referred on suspicion of or screening for imported diseases. Detailed medical records and physical and oral examinations were obtained. Blood count and biochemical measures of micronutrients and nutritional biomarkers were performed. We included microbiological methods for diagnosing imported infectious diseases according to the region of origin and clinical setting.
Results: 373 minors were evaluated, including 250 (67.0%) from sub-Saharan Africa, 67 (18.0%) from North Africa and 56 (15.0%) from Latin America. The mean BMI of the subjects was 19.8 +/- 0.2. BMI increased by 0.02 for each month of stay in Spain. Nineteen patients (6.8%) had a nutritional risk of growth problems, and 50 (17.8%) were overweight. The time since arrival was longer in patients who were overweight (p< 0.05). Twentyone minors (5.7%) had a haemoglobin count less than 11.5 g/dL. Children infected with intestinal helminthiasis had anaemia more frequently than uninfected patients, and children infected with intestinal protozoa had anaemia more frequently than uninfected patients (OR= 2.7 I. C 1.1-7.0, p< 0.05).
Conclusions: Immigrant children in Spain have a low prevalence of growth problem, and being overweight is a frequent nutritional issue. A low level of ferritin is the most frequently detected nutritional problem and the main cause of anaemia.

• 出版日期2017-9