OBJECTIVE: Assess the prevalence of anemia and the nutritional status of children with 7-74 months old, enrolled in day care centers. METHODS: This cross-sectional study enrolled children of 25 day care centers of the eastern district of Belo Horizonte city, Minas Gerais, Brazil. Anthropometric parameters were evaluated and hemoglobin count was done by a portable hemoglobinometer. The cutoff level for anemia was 11.0g/dL for children less than 60 months, and 11.5g/dL for those older than 5 years old. Nutritional status was assessed by anthropometric indexes: weight-for-age, height-for-age and weight-for-height and classified in 3 groups: below -2 Z score (malnutrition/height deficit), -2 to -1 Z score (nutritional risk for malnutrition/height deficit) and above or equal to -1 Z score. Statistical analysis included: chi-square, chi-square with linear trend, analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey test, being significant p<0.05. RESULTS: 402 children, with a median age of 46.3 months, were assessed. The overall anemia prevalence was 28.8%. The rate of anemia in children <24 months (70.4%) was twice that observed in older children. The prevalence of malnutrition was 5,0 and 5.5%, as defined by weight-for-height and weight-for-age indexes, respectively. The prevalence of height deficit was 4.2%. Malnutrition was associated to age and height deficit in children <5 years old. CONCLUSIONS: Anemia in children enrolled in day care centers in Belo Horizonte is a serious public health problem, especially in those younger than 24 months. Nutritional deficits were beyond the expected values.
anemia; nutritional status; child day care centers; child; Public Health
