Nutritional status and biochemical markers of deficiency or excess of micronutrients in 4 to 14 year-old chilean children: A critical review Estado nutricional y marcadores bioquímicos de deficiencia o exceso de micronutrientes en niños chilenos de 4 a 14

Abstract

© 2015, Grupo Aula Medica S.A. All rights reserved.The prevalence of obesity in Chilean children has been increasing steadily for the last two decades. The first study to determine nutritional status and food intake in a representative sample of this population was carried out in 1960. Recently the National Food Consumption Survey (ENCA) carried out in 2012 was released by the Ministry of Health. However, this study did not include biochemical determinations of micronutrients which would allow a better diagnosis of nutritional status in children. Objective: to review the literature available from 2004 to 2014 in food intake and nutritional status in Chilean children aged 4 to 14 years. Method: a total of 362 references published between 2004 and 2014 were obtained through searches in the databases PubMed, Lilacs, Embase and Scielo. From these, 40 articles were selected for a thorough review. Results: food intake by children is characterized by a high-energy intake, a low consumption of