Pediatric malnutrition disparities in two demographically similar Honduran communities.

Pediatric malnutrition is a health crisis that is inextricably tied to the global struggle for social and economic justice. In Honduras the DHS indicates that chronic malnutrition may reach up to 43% among children in the lowest quintile of income and 47% among children of mothers with no education. In preparation for a global health initiative, medical students at The Ohio State University College of Medicine conducted nutrition screenings of children in two highly marginalized populations (M and S) in the vicinity of El Progreso in the Honduran state of Yoro. The two populations, which are of similar size (M~57 Families, S~80 families) and exist within a similar distance from the urban center, were evaluated as having comparable demographic indicators including education, income, and marital status. Despite apparent similarities between the communities, height-for-age data show significant variability between the prevalence and level of chronic malnutrition in children ages two to eighteen years. The prevalence of chronic malnutrition in community S was significantly higher than in community M. These findings suggest that community and family characteristics other than urban setting, education and income are important predictors of child malnutrition. Future efforts to address this key intersection of health and social justice should explore possible mechanisms for this disparity.

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