Revista panamericana de salud pública = Pan American journal of public health
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Rev. Panam. Salud Publica · May 1997
[Nutritional status of preschool children in Ciudad de La Habana from 1972 to 1993].
Two anthropometric surveys of children and adolescents have been carried out in Cuba with national samples. A third study done in the province of Ciudad de la Habana provided information on the physical characteristics of the population in that area and a baseline for the periodic evaluation of its nutritional status. This article compares the weight and height results obtained in these surveys for children 0 to 5 years old who lived in this province with the international reference standards proposed by WHO. ⋯ In 1993, the prevalence of low height-for-age was 3.1%; that of low weight-for-height, 0.4%; and that of low weight-for-age, 1.5%. Overweight was the most common type of malnutrition, with a prevalence of 5.2%. Between 1972 and 1993, the prevalence of chronic malnutrition fell 32.6%, acute malnutrition was reduced by 69.2%; malnutrition of all types decreased by 44.4%; and overweight fell 48.5%.