RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To identify locally available and culturally acceptable foods for children with acute diarrhea, and test their acceptance and effect on the child's weight. MATERIAL AND METHODS: 142 mothers of children younger than five years of age living in rural communities were interviewed to indentify culturally accepted diets by means of group sorting. These were displayed in a multidimensional scale. A descriptive study was performed of the clinical course of 54 children, ages 4 to 50 months who received the designed diets during the first 48 hours of diarrhea. RESULTS: The designed diets considered age of the child, and stage of the disease. Children spent 47.6 +/- 22.2 h in the hospital during which they consumed 44.8 +/- 28.6 kcal/kg/day (additional to breast milk) and they gained 70.6 +/- 179.7 g. A direct relationship was observed between increasing age and larger caloric intake, and between this and greater weight gain. CONCLUSION: Children showed good acceptance of diets. Caloric intake was enough to prevent weight loss.
Assuntos
Diarreia/dietoterapia , Dieta , Doença Aguda , Pré-Escolar , Feminino , Humanos , Lactente , Recém-Nascido , Masculino , MãesRESUMO
This paper presents several experiences obtained in the Rural Research Center of the Solís Valley in relation to community participation programs. The main objective of these projects was to improve the nutritional practices of children in the rural areas of highland Mexico. As first experience, small groups were formed with mothers, fathers, married couples and teenagers. Each of these groups started a project oriented to promote nutritional self-sufficiency. One group of mothers was successful in assuring the provision of government subsidized milk in their community. A second group of mothers started a chicken-raising farm, but the project failed because all the chicken died in an epidemic. The group of fathers started a sheep-raising project as the first step to get a milk-producing cow. The sheep-raising was successful, but when the sheep were sold each man in the group kept the revenue to himself and the group disappeared. The married couples were successful both in a home-gardening project and in a chicken-raising farm. The teenagers were also successful with their home-gardening project and acted as "injection groups" to spread the project in other communities. As a second experience in community participation, community health workers taught mothers how to use locally available food to improve their diets, preparing culturally acceptable food recipes. This intervention was successful in increasing mother's awareness of a balanced diet. A second intervention combined the presentation of a drama ("peasant's theater") in order to increase mother's participation in these projects.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Assuntos
Participação da Comunidade , Promoção da Saúde , Ciências da Nutrição/educação , Adulto , Criança , Participação da Comunidade/métodos , Culinária , Dieta , Comportamento Alimentar , Feminino , Promoção da Saúde/métodos , Humanos , Masculino , México , Distúrbios Nutricionais/prevenção & controle , População RuralRESUMO
A structured interview was applied through a personal interview to 142 peasant mothers aimed at exploring some beliefs about childhood diarrheal disease and the use of home-made beverages and feeding habits during the illness. The majority answered they used to give a herbal tea (90%) or a rice-based beverage (77%) to their child with diarrhea. Only 18% mentioned the use of oral rehydration packages. Sixty-three percent avoid certain foods while 25% withhold all food, usually for more than 24 hours, to a sick child. It is justified to assess the clinical efficacy of a rice-powder solution in the prevention of severe dehydration, as well as to promote an uninterrupted diet based on locally accepted and available foods, in the home management of a child with acute diarrhea.