Experience with 2 diagnostic methods for evaluating nutritional status in pediatrics: epidemiologic and cut-point view

Abstract

Introduction: Public health programs should be based on the knowledge obtained through proper methods of information. 

Objective: To evaluate the nutritional status of children applying 2 different but complementary diagnostic methods. The first one is the standardized prevalence (SP) and the other one NCHS recommended -2 SD as cut-point. 

Method: 4300 children were measured, and height/age, weight/age, weight/height and body mass index were calculated by gender and age. The NCHS and Z scores were used.

Results: Anthropometric indicators showed a differential behavior, where SP values have the advantage that take into account the false and negative positives. In epidemiological terms, it is more adequate than cut-point, although the last one is useful in the evaluation of individual cases. 

Conclusions: The anthropometric surveys constitute appropriate instruments to evaluate the general health status of children, moreover, when the population observed is under a nutritional program like in the present study.