Niveles de micronutrientes en niños escolares colombianos e inseguridad alimentaria / Food Insecurity and micronutrient status biomarkers in school-age Colombian children

Resumen Introducción. La mitad de los hogares colombianos padecen inseguridad alimentaria. Esta se ha asociado con malnutrición, la que, según algunos estudios, podría reflejarse en un déficit de micronutrientes en los niños, aunque los datos no son concluyentes. Objetivo. Establecer la asociación entre la inseguridad alimentaria y los niveles de hemoglobina, hierro, vitamina A, vitamina B12, folato y cinc, en escolares de Bogotá. Materiales y métodos. Se hizo un estudio de corte transversal. Se aplicó la escala del Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM) validada en español en una muestra de hogares de escolares de Bogotá, para establecer la prevalencia de inseguridad alimentaria. Utilizando el índice de propensión, se exploró la asociación entre la inseguridad alimentaria, el hambre grave y las concentraciones de hierro, vitamina A, folato, vitamina B12 y cinc, estimadas en muestras de suero provenientes de los escolares. Resultados. Se incluyeron 2.660 escolares. En el 76 % de los hogares había inseguridad alimentaria, de los cuales el 11,6 % se clasificaba como inseguridad alimentaria con hambre grave. La deficiencia marginal de vitamina B12 fue del 17 % y las de vitamina A y cinc, de 14 y 1,4 %, respectivamente. Aunque se encontraron niveles promedios más bajos de vitamina A (-0,009 µmol/L; IC95% -0,13 - 0,03 µmol/L), vitamina B12 (-19,57 pmol/L; IC95% -72,55 - 29,94 pmol/L) y folato (-9,25 nmol/L; IC95% -29,55 - 18,66 nmol/L) en los niños expuestos a inseguridad alimentaria con hambre grave, al compararlos con los de los no expuestos, las diferencias no fueron estadísticamente significativas. Conclusiones. La inseguridad alimentaria con hambre grave no se asoció los valores de micronutrientes o sus deficiencias en los escolares. La escala del HFSSM mide adecuadamente la dificultad en la adquisición de alimentos por falta de recursos, pero no permite establecer una asociación con las concentraciones de micronutrientes.

Abstract Introduction: Half of the Colombian households experience some degree of food insecurity. Food insecurity has been associated with malnutrition, which could result in micronutrient deficiencies in children; however, the evidence is not conclusive. Objective: To examine the associations between food insecurity and blood concentrations of hemoglobin, ferritin, vitamin A, vitamin B12, folate, and zinc in school-age children from Bogotá, Colombia. Materials and methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study among 2,660 children aged 5-12 from Bogotá's public schools. We assessed their household food insecurity level with the Spanish version of the Household Food Security Survey Module (HFSSM), a validated scale, and quantified blood biomarkers of iron, vitamin A, folate, vitamin B12, and zinc status. We examined the associations between food insecurity, severe hunger, and micronutrient status biomarkers using propensity scores. Results: Three-quarters of households had some degree of food insecurity and 12 % had food insecurity and severe hunger. Prevalence of marginal vitamin B12 status and vitamin A and zinc deficiencies were, respectively, 17%, 14%, and 1.4%. Compared with children from households without severe hunger, those exposed to it had lower adjusted mean concentrations of vitamin A, vitamin B12, and folate, but these differences were not statistically significant. Conclusion: Food insecurity with severe hunger was not associated with micronutrient status biomarkers in Colombian school-age children. The HFSSM may adequately measure hardship in food acquisition due to lack of resources, but it does not yield an index that is associated with micronutrient status biomarkers.

Intake of soft drinks and sugar sweetened beverages by Colombian children and adolescents / Consumo de refrigerantes e refrescos por crianças e adolescentes colombianos

Abstract Objectives: to describe the consumption of sugar sweetened beverages in Colombia, South America and variables associated with this consumption. Methods: based on the Food Frequency Questionnaire applied in the National Survey of the Nutritional Situation of Colombia (2010), the prevalence and frequency/day of the consumption of sugar sweetened beverages by 10,070 subjects between 5 and 17 years old was estimated. Results: the prevalence of sugar sweetened beverages consumption in subjects between 5 and 17 years old was 85.3%, and the average frequency of consumption was 0.71 times/day. The relationship between age and the prevalence of consumption displayed a J form, and the association with frequency in times/day was linear. The highest consumption occurred at 16 years of age, with a prevalence of 90.4% and an average frequency of 0.83 times/day. Overweight and obesity were not associated with consumption (p>0.05). Conclusions: the prevalence and average frequency of consumption were positively associated with age, wealth, and level of urbanism and conversely associated with education and household food security. Children with stunting have a reduced prevalence but increased frequency of consumption. The consumption of sweetened-beverages is an expression of the stage of nutritional and food transitions.

Resumo Objetivos: descrever o consumo de bebidas adoçadas com açúcar na Colômbia, América do Sul e as variáveis associadas a esse consumo. Métodos: embasados no Questionário de Frequência Alimentar aplicado na Pesquisa Nacional de Situação Nutricional da Colômbia (2010), foi estimada a prevalência e frequência/dia do consumo de bebidas adoçadas com açúcar por 10.070 indivíduos entre5 e 17 anos de idade. Resultados: a prevalência do consumo de bebidas adoçadas com açúcar em indivíduos entre 5 e 17 anos de idade foi de 85,3%, e a frequência média de consumo foi de 0,71 vezes/dia. A relação entre idade e prevalência de consumo demonstrou uma forma J, e a associação com a frequência em vezes/dia foi linear. O maior consumo ocorreu aos 16 anos de idade, com uma prevalência de 90,4% e uma frequência média de 0,83 vezes/dia. Sobrepeso e obesidade não foram associados ao consumo (p>0,05). Conclusões: a prevalência e a frequência média de consumo foram positivamente associadas com idade, condições financeiras e nível de urbanismo e inversamente associadas com educação e segurança alimentar doméstica. Crianças com déficit de crescimento têm prevalência reduzida, mas frequência de consumo aumentada. O consumo de bebidas adoçadas é uma expressão do estágio de transições nutricionais e alimentares.