Survey of Visual Health and Nutritional Status of Schoolchildren in a Town of The Córdoba Province (Argentina). Their Importance for Primary Health Care

Abstract

Objective: To assess the visual health and nutritional status of schoolchildren of the Malvinas Argentinas municipal district in Córdoba, Argentina, and to explore the relationship between both variables. Methodology: Descriptive, correlational, observational, and transversal study. Universe: school children of the Malvinas Argentinas municipal district; school year: 2008 ((N=230). Aspects analyzed: nutritional status, micronutrient intake, visual acuteness, chromatic vision, eye movement, pupillary light reflex, age and sex. Gamma test, contingency coefficient calculation and X2 were performed on the data. Results: Percentages for the prevalence of emaciation and shortening were 14% and 3% respectively, and for overweight and obesity, 11% and 7%, respectively. A higher prevalence of malnutrition was detected in female children. The alterations detected were 10% for visual acuteness, 4% for chromatic vision, 3% for eye movement, and 1% for pupillary light reflex. Prevalence of visual acuteness alterations increases with age. Differences were detected between nutritional state and pupillary light reflex, and between vitamin A intake and visual acuteness, pupillary light reflex, eye movement, and chromatic vision.

Conclusions: Results indicate the need of implementing prevention and rehabilitation actions for the parameters studied in the population.