Nutritional and Socioeconomic Status of Children Under Five in Rural Communities of Jalapa

Abstract

Introduction: Nutritional status in early childhood results from the interaction between nutrient intake and socioeconomic and environmental determinants that condition access to adequate food and healthcare. Objective: To identify the nutritional and socioeconomic conditions of children under five in the rural communities of San Miguel Mojón, San José Carrizal, La Toma, Las Azucenas, and El Chagüite in the department of Jalapa, Guatemala. Method: A cross-sectional study conducted on children under five living in rural communities of Jalapa. A validated questionnaire was applied to explore housing conditions, environment, and family situation. Anthropometric measurements of weight and height were standardized for nutritional status classification. Descriptive statistics and EpiInfo 7 software were used for analysis. Results: 111 children under five were evaluated; nutritional status was normal in 69% for weight-for-age, 82% for weight-for-height, and 66% for height-for-age, while stunting reached 29%. Housing showed high precariousness: nearly 50% had dirt floors and walls, 33% consumed untreated water, and 84% disposed of waste by burning it. Regarding socioeconomic factors, primary education predominated among fathers (64%) and mothers (69%); maternal unemployment was 95%, and approximately half of the households reported insufficient income. Conclusions: Low acute malnutrition was identified, but chronic malnutrition persists alongside precarious housing conditions and socioeconomic limitations.