Favorable factors for recovering clinical features of anemic children: an exploratory study

OBJETIVO: investigar a existência de aspectos do ambiente familiar de crianças anêmicas que possam ser considerados favoráveis à recuperação do quadro de anemia e ao desenvolvimento da linguagem. MÉTODOS: trata-se de um estudo de caso de crianças com anemia. As crianças (n = 11) foram submetidas anteriormente ao tratamento clínico e avaliação da linguagem. Após 12 meses, foram reavaliadas nos aspectos clínicos e da linguagem, acrescentando-se a investigação dos recursos do ambiente familiar. Deste grupo, foram selecionados três casos que refletem diferentes evoluções do quadro clínico da anemia e do desenvolvimento da linguagem, a fim de explorar as contribuições do ambiente familiar na melhora desses aspectos. RESULTADOS: a comparação das variáveis entre as crianças que obtiveram melhora ou não no tratamento medicamentoso mostra diferença estatisticamente nos valores de hemoglobina e tempo de aleitamento materno (p<0,05). A análise dos três casos revela que a situação ambiental pode ser agravante do quadro clínico da criança. CONCLUSÕES: a qualidade dos recursos domiciliares, o tempo de aleitamento materno e as práticas parentais em relação à criança podem ter contribuído para a adequada recuperação da criança nos aspectos focalizados.PURPOSE: to investigate the existence of familial environmental aspects of anemic children that may be regarded as favorable for the recovery of anemia and the language development. METHODS: this is a case study of anemic children. The children (n = 11) were previously submitted to clinical treatment and language assessment. After 12 months, children were reassessed in clinical and language aspects, adding investigation of Home Environment Resources Scale. From this group, three cases were selected, reflecting different evolutions in clinical features' anemia and language development in order to explore the contributions of the familial environment in the improvement of those aspects. RESULTS: the comparison of the variables between the children who had gotten improvement or not in the clinical treatment showed to be differing statistically as for the values of hemoglobin and maternal breastfeeding's period (p<0.05). The analysis of the three cases shows that the environmental situation can aggravated the child's clinical features. CONCLUSION: the quality of the familial resources, the time of maternal breastfeeding and the parental practices in relation to the child might have contributed to the child's appropriate recovery in the focused aspects

Iron-Fortified Drinking Water Studies for the Prevention of Children's Anemia in Developing Countries

Anemia and iron deficiency should receive special attention considering their high prevalence and serious consequences. For prevention, globally it is recommended to increase dietary iron intake, iron fortification of industrialized foods, and medical iron supplementation. Food fortification for the prevention of iron deficiency in developing countries should consider carriers locally available and consumed daily, requiring limited infrastructure and technology. Drinking water is the iron carrier we have been working for years for the prevention of iron deficiency and anemia in small children in Brazil. It was shown that studies with iron-fortified drinking water were proved to be effective on children's anemia prevention. Water is found everywhere, consumed daily by everyone may be easily fortified with simple technology, is low priced and was effective on the prevention of children's anemia. Fortification of drinking water with iron was locally implemented with the direct participation of the government and community. Government authorities, health personnel and population were part of the project and responsible for its community implementation. The mayor/municipality permitted and supported the proposal to supply it to children at their day-care centers. To keep the children drinking water iron fortified supply an officially authorized legislation was also approved

A community public health programme to control iron-deficiency anemia through iron-fortification of drinking water

On a global basic, an estimated 2 billion people are iron deficient or anaemic with small children and child bearing age women most likely to be affected. In Brazil a recent 2009 meta-analysis of anaemia considered it to be a serious public health problem affecting 53% of children under 5 years. Fortification and supplementation of food can make and important contribution to the reduction of iron anaemia. Our studies on anaemia and iron fortification of drinking water showed a large prevalence of anaemia among under 5 children attending day-care institutions. After 3 to 6 months drinking iron fortified water it was shown a decrease of anaemic children. It was shown that the iron fortification of drinking water can be considered an easy and practical way to supply iron to children at community level. It is a vehicle available everywhere. It is consumed everyday by everyone, has a much lower price than any other iron food carrier and/or pharmaceutical supplements. The water may be easily fortified locally, the iron sulfate is low-priced and used in small amounts with highly bioavailable iron. Its effectiveness was scientifically shown and was strategically supported by the Community, the Public Health Workers and got Municipal Government approval and support

Breastfeeding and obesity in Brazilian children

The association between breastfeeding and obesity is inconsistent by the literature. This study aims to assess whether obesity is associated to occurrence of breastfeeding and to duration of total and exclusive breastfeeding in Brazilian children. A cross-sectional study was conducted with 764 children enrolled in public and private schools from Viçosa, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Obesity (outcome variable) was defined as body mass index above the +2 standard deviations score using sex and age specific standards of World Health Organization. Exposure was the occurrence and duration of breastfeeding. Potential confounders were controlled by multiple logistic regression analysis and were divided in two groups: children (gender, age, birth weight, gestational age, order of birth, number of siblings, number of persons in the residence, type of school, physical activity patterns and time watching television) and mothers (age, nutritional status, level of education, weight gain during pregnancy, smokes currently and during the pregnancy). Prevalence of obesity was 10.7%; 6.8% of the children were not breastfed and 59.0% did not receive exclusive breastfeeding. After adjustment for confounding variables by logistic regression analysis, no statistically significant association was observed between obesity and the occurrence and/or duration of total and exclusive breastfeeding. There was no dose-response effect of duration of breastfeeding on prevalence of obesity. Our results do not support the hypothesis that breastfeeding promotion would reduce obesity in this population. Controversial findings regarding this association by literature indicate a need for further investigations

Iron-Fortified Drinking Water Studies for the Prevention of Children&apos;s Anemia in Developing Countries

Anemia and iron deficiency should receive special attention considering their high prevalence and serious consequences. For prevention, globally it is recommended to increase dietary iron intake, iron fortification of industrialized foods, and medical iron supplementation. Food fortification for the prevention of iron deficiency in developing countries should consider carriers locally available and consumed daily, requiring limited infrastructure and technology. Drinking water is the iron carrier we have been working for years for the prevention of iron deficiency and anemia in small children in Brazil. It was shown that studies with iron-fortified drinking water were proved to be effective on children&apos;s anemia prevention. Water is found everywhere, consumed daily by everyone may be easily fortified with simple technology, is low priced and was effective on the prevention of children&apos;s anemia. Fortification of drinking water with iron was locally implemented with the direct participation of the government and community. Government authorities, health personnel and population were part of the project and responsible for its community implementation. The mayor/municipality permitted and supported the proposal to supply it to children at their day-care centers. To keep the children drinking water iron fortified supply an officially authorized legislation was also approved

Excess weight and factors associated in preschool of southwest of Bahia

Objectives: this study aimed to evaluate the environmental factors associated with excess weight in preschool children. Methods: a cross-sectional study involving 664 full-time preschoolers enrolled in public childcare centers in Vitória da Conquista (BA). The excess weight status has been defined according to the BMI/Age index and score Z above +2. The independent variables were grouped into maternal characteristics, socioeconomic, related to children and child care. We conducted multiple logistic regression to assess the association between excess weight and the variables studied. Results: a prevalence of excess weight was 5.7 %; 3.9% were overweight and 1.8% were obese. The factors associated with excess weight in children were cesarean delivery (OR: 2.59; IC95%: 1.11; 6.01); being singletons (OR: 3.32; IC95%: 1.44; 7.67); and exclusive breastfeeding of less than 4 months (OR: 2.59; IC95%: 1.12; 5.99). Conclusions: the results show that interventions to reduce and/or prevent excess weight should begin prenatally, with promotion of exclusive breastfeeding and natural birth, as well as nutritional advice for mothers with singletons.

Los primeros determinantes del sobrepeso y la obesidad a los 5 años de edad en preescolares del interior de Minas Gerais, Brasil

Introduction: Brazil is experiencing a nutritional transition characterized by a reduction in the prevalence of nutritional deficits and an increase in overweight and obesity, not only in adults but also in children and adolescents.Objectives: This study was designed to evaluate the factors associated with overweight and obesity in Brazilian 5-year-old preschoolers.Methods: A cross-sectional study of a cohort of 232 preschoolers born in Diamantina/Minas Gerais, Brazil, was undertaken. the data, including socioeconomic status, anthropometry, diet, previous history of the preschoolers and family history, were collected between July of 2009 and July of 2010. To identify the factors associated with overweight and obesity, a logistic regression and a hierarchical model were undertaken.Results: Overweight and obesity occurred in 17.2% of the preschoolers. After adjusting for mother's obesity, per capita income, protective food intake, weight gain at age 0-4 months and time spent playing, the factors associated with overweight and obesity that reached statistical significance were mother's obesity [OR = 3.12 (95% CI 1.41-6.91), P = 0.01], weight gain of more than 0.85 kg/month in the first four months of life [OR = 2.16 (95% CI 1.01-4.64), P = 0.041 and lower per capita income [OR = 0.32 (95 %CI 0.13-0.79), P = 0.01].Conclusion: the results show that more weight gain during the first four months of life and being born of mothers with obesity increased the odds of overweight/obesity in the preschoolers, while lower per capita income was a protective factor.Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de Minas Gerais (FAPEMIG)Fed Univ Vales Jequitinhonha & Mucuri, Dept Nutr, BR-39100000 Diamantina, MG, BrazilUniv Fed Minas Gerais, Dept Med, Belo Horizonte, MG, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Nutr, São Paulo, BrazilFederal Univ Sao Joao Del Rei, Dept Med, Divinopolis, MG, BrazilUniv Fed Vicosa, Dept Nutr, Vicosa, MG, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Dept Nutr, São Paulo, BrazilFAPEMIG: APQ-00428-08Web of Scienc