Perfil de riesgo nutricional en la adolescente embarazada / Profile of nutritional risk in pregnant adolescents

ABSTRACT

A sample of 215 adolescents (16.9 +/- 0.7 y; 13-18 y) from a low socioeconomic level of Valencia, Venezuela, at their first trimester of pregnancy were studied in order to identify nutritional risk. Socioeconomic, anthropometrical, hematological and dietary characteristic were assessed. Pregestational weight, actual weight, height, arm circumference (AC), triceps skin fold (TS), fat and muscle area (FA/MA) and pregestational body mass index (PBMI) were determined. Hemoglobin (Hb) and ferritin were measured by colorimetric and ELISA methods. Two 24 hour recalls were obtained. According to age, two groups were created. Pregnant adolescents were grouped by age Group 1, 13 to 15 years old and Group 2, 16 to 18 years old. Nutritional risk was defined as Gynecological age lower than 4 years since menarche. PBMI < 19.8 kg/m2, height below 10th Percentile of reference, Hb below 11 g/dL and ferritin < 12 micrograms/L. Almost all the adolescents (96.3 per cent) were in poverty. 83.3 per cent were single, 83.3 per cent were at elementary school before pregnancy but 84.1 per cent were attending house chores at the time of exam. There were significant differences (p < 0.001) for gynecological age and menarche age, but not for anthropometrical, hematological and dietary variables when Group 1 was compared to group 2. 35.3 per cent of the adolescents had a gynecological age lower than 4 years, 23.3 per cent were below 10th percentile for height, 36.3 per cent had a PBMI lower than 19.8 kg/m2, 26.5 per cent were below 10th percentile for arm circumference, anemia was present in 13.7 per cent and low levels of ferritin in 18.4 per cent of the adolescents. Calorie intake was below recommendation in 87.3 per cent and adequacy for vitamin A and C, calcium and zinc were below 2/3 of recommendation in 36.3 per cent. 25.9 per cent, 88.7 per cent and 73.5 per cent of the adolescents respectively. Studied adolescents had a high prevalence of risk factors for nutritional deficiencies (short age, poverty, low weight, anemia and deficient intake). Early assessment of this conditions allows to identify the risk, to establish interventions and to monitor pregnancy evolution.