Tendencias de la mala nutrición en menores de cinco años en México, 1988-2016: análisis de cinco encuestas nacionales.

Objective. To study the magnitude, distribution and trends of undernutrition and overweight in Mexican children under five years between 1988 and 2016. Materials and methods. Underweight, wasting, stunting and overweight prevalences were calculated, at national, regional and rural/ urban locality levels in children under five years from the 1988, 1999, 2006, 2012 and 2016 national probabilistic surveys. Results. Currently 3.9% suffer underweight, 1.9% wasting and 10% stunting. There was an decrease in stunting from 1988 to 2016 (26.9 vs 10.0%), in rural (43.1 vs 12.6%) and urban (22.5 vs 9.1%) localities and in South (38.6 vs 13.4%), Center (29.2 vs 8.4%) and Mexico City (13.6 vs 4.7%). In the North region the decrease was smaller (13.3 vs 11.4%). Overweight diminished from 9.7% to 5.8, mainly between 2012-2016. Conclusions. Stunting has continued its decline in Mexico, but high prevalences persist in some vulnerable groups. Overweight had an unexpected decline between 2012-2016. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]