Adaptation of the dietary profile of children under two years of age to the dietary guidelines of Paraguay in a pediatric referral hospital

Abstract

Introduction: Adequate nutrition is important throughout life, but during the first 2 years of life it is a critical factor for development.

Objetive: To determine the adequacy of the dietary profile to the Dietary Guidelines of Paraguay (GAP) in children under 24 months of age consulting at a pediatric referral hospital in 2022.

Material and methods: Observational, descriptive, cross-sectional. Case sampling by convenience. Patients aged 1 to 23 months at the Hospital General Pediátrico Niños de Acosta Ñu, San Lorenzo, Paraguay, in outpatient clinic, July to September 2022. Variables: age, sex, birth weight, gestational age, current weight, current height, origin, socioeconomic stratum, duration of breastfeeding (BF), initiation of complementary feeding (CF), age of food introduction. Anthropometric parameters were used according to WHO 2006. Compliance with the Guidelines was evaluated using the Likert scale. GAP 1: Exclusive breastfeeding until 6 months of age, GAP 2: Beginning of complementary feeding from 6 months of age. GAP 3: From one year of age onwards, their feeding is included in the pot, GAP 4: Consume fruits and vegetables from 6 months of age. GAP 5: Person in charge of feeding the child, GAP 6: Consume unhealthy food. GAP 7: Hand hygiene before each meal, GAP 8: Feeding during episodes of diarrhea. It was approved by the Ethics Committee.

Results: A total of 245 patients were included. Median age: 7 months, 42 % of the working class stratum. 88.6 % were eutrophic and 9.8 % were at risk of malnutrition. 7.4 % had stunting. 98.8 % received BF. 25.7% had EBF up to 6 months. The median duration of BF was 6 months. 74.4% started CA at 6 months. 37.5 % received cow's milk before 12 months of age. 53% joined the family pot before 1 year. 76.7% of caregivers are not aware of the GAP. 59 % incorporate unhealthy foods. In relation to the incorporation of complementary foods, guide 3 had a regular compliance (before 6 months and after 12 months).

Conclusion: The adequacy of the dietary profile in children under 2 years of age was low for GAP 1, fair for GAP 3 and GAP 8, good for GAP 4 and 6 and very good for GAP 2,5 and 7.