Subnutrição infantil: acompanhamento de crianças desnutridas em um Centro de Recuperação Nutricional – CREN

Abstract

Malnutrition is recognized as a condition in which deficiencies of energy, protein and micronutrients, resulting from inadequate nutrition and recurrent infections, whose consequences determine measurable adverse effects on tissue anatomy or organism (morphology, size, composition) and the body function and clinical evolution. Among the most significant features of malnutrition is chronic malnutrition, as expressed by the deficit in linear growth, considered the most important marker of malnutrition, and still highly prevalent in all developing regions in the world. The linear growth (height) is also a parameter for evaluating the quality of life of a population and used to monitor the changes in economic patterns,of health and nutrition. Malnutrition is a consequence of the increase in infectious processes which in turn affects the specific and nonspecific immune responses, especially early in life before two years of age, where the child is more likely and totally dependent on others for their nutrition, care and social interactions. With the purpose of minimizing the consequences of malnutrition recovery centers and nutrition education (CREN) which are attached to universities with programs integrated with an appreciation of successful local initiatives actions, respecting regional cultures were created, active search for cases of malnutrition in the community and especially taking advantage of the equity of each person, family and community.