Stunting and overweight in children under 5y who inhabit the Sierra Tarahumara in northern Mexico

Abstract

Introduction: The double burden of malnutrition and excess weight (or poor nutrition) is one of the indicators that best illustrates the health inequities that exist in indigenous areas of Mexico. On the other hand, there is scarce evidence of the nutritional status of the Tarahumara population. Objective: To estimate indicators of the nutritional status and its association with sociodemographic factors in the Tarahumara indigenous population under 5 years of age. Methods: A cross-sectional study in 21 indigenous localities of the Sierra Tarahumara in Chihuahua, Mexico, which analyzed sociodemographic, health and anthropometric information in children from 6 to 59 months of age (n=323). Anthropometric indices and their association with variables of interest was estimated by multiple logistic regression. A value of p ≤0.05 was considered statistically significant. All analyzes were performed using the Stata v14.2 statistical package. Results: It were founded high prevalences of short stature (44.4%), emaciation (5.3%), underweight (11.9%) and overweight (15.2%). Male sex was significantly associated with short stature (Odds Ratio (OR) = 2.5; 1.45-4.34), while no education of the mother (OR = 0.39; 0.15-0.99) and being a beneficiary of a local nutrition program for more than 2 years it was associated with being overweight (OR = 2.97; 1.26-6.97). Conclusion: Indicators of malnutrition and overweight were founded in the sample studied; these findings suggest inequity and delays in health and nutrition of the indigenous Tarahumara child population. More research is required that can guide health and nutrition programs and actions to serve this indigenous population as a priority.