RESUMEN
As a part of one survey about health conditions in institutionalized children, the nutritional status were evaluated. Data were obtained through antropometric assessment in a sample of 111 pre-school children matriculated in a small official day-care center in Perus-SP. According to Gomez, 50.0% of all that children were classified as malnourished, 23.4% of them in the I degree; 22.4% in II degree and only 4.3% in III degree. Taking into account the Waterlow's classification there was a highest frequency of cronic-actual malnutrition (30.8%) concentrated in children between 12-48 months of age. Additionally, these children presented highest incidence of infective-respiratory and intestinal diseases. These evidences lead on to the improvement of the follow-up of children growth and food consumption, specially that under 24 meses, to attempt for an early identification of malnutrition, thus increasing the chance of nutritional recuperation.