Abstract
The living conditions (i.e., socioeconomic, healthcare-related, nutritional, and environmental) to which children are exposed may influence their ability to reach their optimal growth potential. This review focuses on the relationship between the nutritional status of children under five years of age and social and environmental factors in Northern Brazil. Children living in this region have limited access to healthcare and face precarious socioeconomic and environmental conditions. This analysis was based on data from national health surveys, the consolidated food, nutrition surveillance system (SISVAN), and indicators of the DPSEEA (driving force, pressure, state, exposures, health effects, and actions) framework. The northern region has the worst living conditions in the country, and children under five years of age have significant height-for-age, weight-for-age, and weight-for-height deficits. Concomitantly, the prevalence of children who are overweight has increased significantly, although it remains lower than that in more developed Brazilian regions. Insufficient and/or inadequate dietary practices and early exposure to unfavorable living conditions are risk factors for nutritional deviations. Further advances in public health policies that consider regional characteristics, particularly in the north, where progress has been slower, are needed.
Highlights
IntroductionChildren’s physical development is an important indicator of the general well-being of a society, because it reflects socioeconomic and food safety conditions and environmental conditions [1]
Growth is an essential component in the evaluation of children’s health
We reviewed studies and national surveys investigating the nutritional status of children under five years of age
Summary
Children’s physical development is an important indicator of the general well-being of a society, because it reflects socioeconomic and food safety conditions and environmental conditions [1]. The living conditions (i.e., socioeconomic, healthcare-related, nutritional, and environmental) to which children are exposed during the intrauterine period and childhood may influence their ability to reach their maximum growth potential [2]. According to an analysis of the external influences on the growth process in Brazilian children, existing regional inequalities are closely linked to differences in the socioeconomic development among regions and investments in sanitation and health care. In Brazil, due to differences in the standard of living among regions and even within the same region, national public policies have focused on inequities in the health conditions in certain localities and vulnerable groups. Efforts to resolve these regional inequalities are slow and irregular [3]
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