The Malnourished Children of the Urban Squatter Families: a Study in Porto Alegre, Brazil

Abstract

In a case-control study of undernourished children in a squatter community a number of proximate determinants of malnutrition were identified. A history admission in the first year of life and of frequent episodes of diarrhoea as well as repiratory infection stood out as major indicators of risk. Other well-known risk factors like low birth weight and absence of breast feeding were also present. Social factors were found to be as significant as biological antecedents of malnutrition. The linkages between several factors are discussed.