A random population sample was studied with a view to determining the proportion of children of less than on year of age whose weigth is less than the minimum adequate weigth (MAW) for their age, as well as to identifying factors of a socio-demographic nature that could be associated with this problem and the socio-sanitary importance of these factors. The sample studied was of children of less than one year of age, born between 05/01/1990 and 04/ 30/1991, whose mothers were entited to the services of the Mexican Institute of Social Security, in Tlaquepaque and Tonalá, municipalities adjacent to the Metropolitan Zone of Guadalajara, the second most important city in Mexico. The ponderal assessment of the infants was performed on the basis of tables which the Latin-American Perinatology Center had developed for this purpose. Through the use of logistic regression, Odds Ratios (OR) were estimated, with 90% confidence intervals (CI). The model thus prepared was adjusted by means of the H* statistics. Likewise, the population's attributable risk (PAR) was calculated, as well as the probability that a child would not reach the MAW for its age, in the presence or abscence of particular risk factors. The results indicate that nearly one fifth of the infants studied do not reach MAW. The work shows that a statistical association exists between the mother's being less than 20 years old (OR=2.53, CI 1.03-6.22) and her belonging to the "working class" (OR=2.28, CI 1.01-5.21), and the infant's not reaching MAW, and the social effects of these factors (PAR=26.4% and 36.7%, respectively). In the presence of all the factors analyzed, the probability of a child's not reaching MAW is of 0.85 and, in particular, in the presence of the given risk factors, the probability is of 0.41. These data suggest guidelines for health services to design appropriate action targeted at specific population groups with a view to improving the nutritional state of the infant population.
Nutritional status; Sociodemographic factors; Child health
