This work investigated the body weight evolution according to prescribed or accepted dietetic caloric value, in children with diarrhea or bronchopneumonia, admitted at Instituto Materno Infantil de Pernambuco, Brazil. The proportions of children who increased or did not increase body weight were evaluated as a function of the prescribed caloric quota (PCQ) and the accepted caloric quota (ACQ) that attained the ideal caloric quota (ICQ) during hospitalization. 46% children lost or maintained the weight during the two first days. A higher frequency of increased weight was observed when PCQ or ACQ attained the ICQ, as well as in breast feeding children. Therefore, this study confirmed the relationship between low caloric values offered or accepted with a deficient body weight evolution.
Malnutrition; Caloric intake; Children; Hospitalization
