Nutritional Assessment in Children with Allergy to Cow's Milk Protein

Abstract

Objective: To relate the nutritional status of children allergic to cow's milk protein to the factors that interfere in the nutritional deficit. Methodology: It is a descriptive cross-sectional and quantitative approach carried out in the outpatient clinic for food allergy of a Children’s Hospital in Ceara, whose sampling is non-probabilistic sample of convenience and includes children up to 48 months of age. The variables of interest were: sex, age, age at diagnosis, duration of exclusive breastfeeding, use of infant formula, weight and stature. The data collection was carried out from March to June 2015 through anthropometric measurements (weight and height) and the application of a semi-structured questionnaire. The statistical analysis related and associated all the variables, obtaining as a result significant p<0.05. Results: The study included 342 children with a mean age of 7.50 months (± 6.51), being 53.50% boys and 46.50% girls. The average weight of the population was 8.03 kg (± 3.85), height was 67.68 cm (± 9.66) and BMI was 17.22 Kg/m2 (± 8.87). The average time for diagnosis of allergy to cow's milk protein was 8.98 months (± 7.90) and the average time of exclusive breastfeeding was 2.58 months (± 2.16). Conclusions: It was found that there was adequacy of weight and height in most children. However, some factors may have positively influenced the results as: age at which the allergy was diagnosed, age at which there was introduction of formulas, duration of breastfeeding and participation in the program of cow's milk protein allergy.