Recorded presentation

Patricia Heredia Vargas, Bs¹, Sara Del Castillo Matamoros, Msc², Martha Borda Torres, Bs¹, Luz Mery Vargas Gómez, Bs³, and Gabriel Carrasquilla, Md Dr Ph¹. (1) Centro de Estudios e Información en Salud, Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá, Calle 119 No. 9 - 32, Bogotá, Colombia, 6190280, pheredia@fsfb.org.co, (2) Departamento de Nutrición, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Ciudad universitaria Facultad de Medicina, Bogotá, Colombia, (3) Área de Vigilancia en Salud Pública, Secretaría Distrital de Salud, Calle 13 No. 32-69, Bogotá, Colombia

Background: Latin American countries devise complementary feeding programs aimed at the vulnerable population. Although considerable amounts of money are spent, they frequently lack systematic follow-up procedures to verify their proper unfolding. Methods: Through this descriptive study, it was possible to characterize complementary feeding programs targeted at the population ages 1-14 years in Bogota, 2003, using a representative sample of 216 caretaking places. Collected information included nutritional components, food handling, and weight of three ready-to-eat portions per day in each place. Levels of adequacy of calories and of some nutrients supplied by such portions were calculated, using the Food Composition Table for Colombia. Results: According to the previously defined guidelines for the programs, 66.9% of the caretaking institutions for children less than 5 years of age did not meet the appropriate level of calories, and 6.0% did not meet the required level of proteins. In the group of school-age children, 15.2% of the caretaking institutions did not meet the appropriate level of calories, and 2.2% did not meet the required level of proteins. It was found that most protein was generally a vegetable origin protein. Regarding micronutrients (iron, calcium and vitamin A), their supply varies according to the type of meal. Conclusions: Complementary feeding programs for children, particularly programs for children less than 5 years of age, lack some recommended nutrients, especially calories. The required priority is to periodically follow up complementary feeding programs to attain the expected outcome and a positive impact on the target population.

Learning Objectives:

• Readers may know if nutrient supply in complementary feeding programs aimed at the population less than 5 years of age and school-age children, in a representative sample in Bogota, are properly met or not.
• Most Latin American countries have complementary feeding programs aimed at the vulnerable population. Through the findings of this study, people who direct these programs may be encouraged to program periodical follow- ups, to ascertain the fulfillment of the previously defined goals, with a positive impact on the target population.
• Using this methodology in other complementary feeding programs will help to develop epidemiology surveillance programs that may lead to further improvements for optimal results.

Keywords: Food Security, Vulnerable Populations

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

Recorded presentation