RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To compare malnutrition rates between migrant and non-migrant children. MATERIAL AND METHODS: One-hundred and sixty children 1-6 years old were selected at random from schools located in highly marginated areas. Excluded were infants with congenital malformations or under nutritional intervention. Migration was defined as any geographical movement during the last 6 years. Malnutrition was assessed through the weight/height and height/age indicators, as recommended by the World Health Organization. RESULTS: Fifty-nine percent of the infants belonged to families whose father had a non-qualified occupation, 27.5% of them did not finish elementary school. Fifty-three referred migration; malnutrition rate was 51.3% among migrant infants and 28.8%, among non-migrant infants (OR = 2.6, CI 95% = 1.2, 5.2, p = 0.006). Migrant children registered a mean Z score of -2.4 +/- .40 and non-migrant children, -2.3 +/- .33, based on the indicator height for age. CONCLUSIONS: Chronic malnutrition among migrant infants justifies a nutritional intervention, they constitute a specific group at risk. Migration should be considered for health planning.
