Anemia and nutritional status of infants from two to five months of age treated in facilities of the Ministry of Health of Peru, 2012

Abstract

Objectives. Determine the characteristics of the levels of anemia in infants from two to five months of age treated in facilities of the Ministry of Health of Peru during 2012. Materials and methods. This cross-sectional study uses the nutritional status information system of the National Center for Food and Nutrition, National Institute of Health of Peru in 2012. Records of 7,513 infants from two to five months of age treated in small outpatient clinics, centers and hospitals of the Ministry of Health of Peru’s 25 regions were analyzed. Descriptive statistics and logistic regression techniques were used for data analysis. Results. 10.2% (95% CI 9.5-10.9) of the infants had anemia, with frequency differences by month of age (p<0.001), altitude, (p<0.001) regions (p<0.001) and type of facility (p<0.001). In the multivariate analysis, factors associated with anemia were: age of 4 months (OR 1.2; 95% CI 1.0-1.5), age of 5 months (OR 1.4; 95% CI 1.2- 1.6), obesity (OR 0.7; 95% CI 0.5-1.0) and chronic malnutrition (OR 1.3; 95% CI 1.0-1.6). Conclusions. The presence of anemia and chronic malnutrition before 6 months of age was evidenced, as well as that the probability of anemia increases with age and is associated with some components of nutritional status.