Dietary intake practices and anthropometric measurements for 66 rural Ecuadorian preschool children, aged 1 to 5 years, were studied. The total sample comprised two groups: 46 children who lived in Aloguincho and participated in a food supplement program and 20 children who lived in La Merced, where no nutritional intervention had occurred. / Anthropometric measurements were analyzed according to age, sex, and village of the child and the values obtained were compared to an appropriate reference standard. Mean measurements of height, weight, triceps fatfold, head circumference, arm circumference, arm muscle circumference, and arm muscle area were similar for children, by age and sex, in both villages. For all of the anthropometric measurements, there were significant differences, as expected, between the age groups in each village. / Energy and nutrient intakes of the children in both villages were evaluated by using the 24-hour recall and the food frequency methods. Mean intakes of energy, protein, calcium, iron, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin C, and vitamin A were compared to the Recomendaciones Nutricionales (recommended intake levels) of Ecuador to determine the nutritional adequacy of the diets. / Mean intakes of calcium were below two-thirds of the recommended level, by age group, for children in both villages. Mean intakes of riboflavin and vitamin A were below two-thirds of the recommended levels for Aloguincho children. / There were no significant differences in mean nutrient intakes with respect to age or sex of the children in either village. Nutrient intakes were significantly different, however, between the two villages. Mean intakes of energy, protein, calcium, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin C, and vitamin A were significantly lower for the Aloguincho children (those receiving the supplement) than for the La Merced children. / Although a comparison of the nutritional status of the recipients of the food supplement with the non-recipients showed no significant nutritional benefit of the supplementation program, this was probably due to insufficient intake of the supplement by the recipients, because it was also being consumed by other household members. However, the supplement is appropriate to meet the identified nutrient needs of the children. Efforts should be made to encourage increased consumption of the supplement by the recipients. / Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 42-06, Section: B, page: 2311. / Thesis (Ph.D.)--The Florida State University, 1981.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_74563 |
| Contributors | MOY, MARTHA JEAN., Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text |
| Format | 107 p. |
| Rights | On campus use only. |
| Relation | Dissertation Abstracts International |
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