Nutrition and education. IV. Clinical signs of malnutrition and its relationship with socioeconomic, anthropometric, dietetic and educational achievement parameters.

The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of clinical signs of malnutrition, and to measure the interrelationship with socioeconomic, anthropometric, dietetic and educational achievement parameters. A random sample of 550 Chilean elementary and high school graduates (1:1), of both sexes (1:1), from public and private schools (1:1) and from high, medium and low socioeconomic status (SES) (1:1:1), was chosen in the Metropolitan Area of Santiago, Chile. SES was measured through the Graffar Modified Scale. Clinical signs of malnutrition were assessed according to Jelliffe. Nutritional status was determined by means of anthropometric measurements: percentages of weight/age (W/A), height/age (H/A) and weight for height (W/H) were compared with the WHO Tables; head circumference/age (HC/A) with the Tanner Tables, and branchial anthropometric parameters by applying the Frisancho norms. Standard procedures for the 24 hour dietary recall interviews were used to collect data, and adequacy of intake was assessed by the FAO/WHO pattern. Educational achievement (EA) was measured through the Achievement Evaluation Program, (AEP) and Academic Aptitude Test (AAT) in elementary and high school graduates, respectively. Results showed that apart from caries (87.5%), most prevalent clinical signs of malnutrition were dermatosis (13.4%), follicular hyperkeratosis type I (13.2%), nasolabial dyssebacea (7.9%), lustreless hair (7.7%), angular stomatitis (4.4%) and cheilosis (2.7%). The number of clinical signs of malnutrition was found inversely and significantly associated with SES, H/A, vitamin A and calcium intake, as well as with EA, besides registering a lower nutrient intake, specially for energy, riboflavin and niacin.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)