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Abstract Background In Mexico, as in other developing countries, micronutrient deficiencies are common in infants between 6 and 24 months of age and are an important public health problem. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of anemia and of iron, folic acid, and zinc deficiencies in Mexican children under 2 years of age who use the health care services provided by the Mexican Institute for Social Security (IMSS). Methods A nationwide survey was conducted with a representative sample of children younger than 2 years of age, beneficiaries, and users of health care services provided by IMSS through its regular regimen (located in urban populations) and its Oportunidades program (services offered in rural areas). A subsample of 4,955 clinically healthy children was studied to determine their micronutrient status. A venous blood sample was drawn to determine hemoglobin, serum ferritin, percent of transferrin saturation, zinc, and folic acid. Descriptive statistics include point estimates and 95% confidence intervals for the sample and projections for the larger population from which the sample was drawn. Results Twenty percent of children younger than 2 years of age had anemia, and 27.8% (rural) to 32.6% (urban) had iron deficiency; more than 50% of anemia was not associated with low ferritin concentrations. Iron stores were more depleted as age increased. Low serum zinc and folic acid deficiencies were 28% and 10%, respectively, in the urban areas, and 13% and 8%, respectively, in rural areas. The prevalence of simultaneous iron and zinc deficiencies was 9.2% and 2.7% in urban and rural areas. Children with anemia have higher percentages of folic acid deficiency than children with normal iron status. Conclusion Iron and zinc deficiencies constitute the principal micronutrient deficiencies in Mexican children younger than 2 years old who use the health care services provided by IMSS. Anemia not associated with low ferritin values was more prevalent than iron-deficiency anemia. The presence of micronutrient deficiencies at this early age calls for effective preventive public nutrition programs to address them.

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Copyright of Archivos Latinoamericanos de Nutrición is the property of Sociedad Latinoamericana de Nutricion and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Salud Mental is the property of Instituto Nacional de Psiquiatria Ramon de la Fuente and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Archivos Latinoamericanos de Nutrición is the property of Sociedad Latinoamericana de Nutricion and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Objective: to describe the physical growth in weight and height of children less than two years of age cared for the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS). Material and method: a population-based National Survey, which was also regional representative, was carried out in Ordinary Regime (RO) and the IMSS-Oportunidades Program (IO). In two years (2000-2002) the study gathered data on 17 502 children from the RO and 9872 from IO. The measures of weight and length were made by nurses, according to WHO criteria. Growth is reported as weight and length for each month of age and gender, in tables and percentile curves derived from quintile regressions, using a third degree polynomial to smooth out the lines. Results: the trends of the means of weight and height in the first two years of life in children cared by Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social show a pattern similar to those described in healthy children in other populations. However, the values are lower than those obtained in developed countries. Conclusions: children's growth at two years of age at the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social shows a curve that is lower than that of the reference population recommended by the World Health Organization as an international standard. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To describe the physical growth in weight and height of children less than two years of age cared for the Mexican Institute of Social Security (IMSS)., Material and Method: A population-based National Survey, which was also regional representative, was carried out in Ordinary Regime (RO) and the IMSS-Oportunidades Program (IO). In two years (2000-2002) the study gathered data on 17,502 children from the RO and 9872 from IO. The measures of weight and length were made by nurses, according to WHO criteria. Growth is reported as weight and length for each month of age and gender, in tables and percentile curves derived from quintile regressions, using a third degree polynomial to smooth out the lines., Results: The trends of the means of weight and height in the first two years of life in children cared by Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social show a pattern similar to those described in healthy children in other populations. However, the values are lower than those obtained in developed countries., Conclusions: Children's growth at two years of age at the Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social shows a curve that is lower than that of the reference population recommended by the World Health Organization as an international standard.