[Does orphanhood by aids or by homicide effect nutritional status of children?]

Abstract

The aims of this paper were to evaluate the nutritional status of children orphaned by aids or homicides in the city of São Paulo and to estimate the association of nutritional indexes with orphanhood-related variables. The study was a household survey carried out between 2006 and 2007. We sampled 484 children representative of São Paulo, 5-14 years old who lost either or both of their parents from aids or homicides between 2000 and 2004. We selected body-mass-index-for-age (BMI) and height-for-age (height) as outcomes for analysis. Multiple linear regression in the light of a conceptual hierarchical approach was used for estimating BMI-for-age and height-for-age associated factors. Children from aids and homicides groups differed in terms of orphanhood-related variables and age. Economic, household, health and nutritional conditions were similar between groups. Underweight accounted for 1.3% and 2.1% of children under the age of 10 and adolescents, respectively. Stunting accounted for 0.7% and 4.0% of children and adolescents, respectively. Overweight accounted for 19% and 20% of children and adolescents, respectively. BMI and height were unaffected by orphanhood-related variables after adjusting for selected classical determinants of nutritional status in the hierarchical model. Economic status was the main determinant of the nutritional profile. Nutritional status of children orphaned by aids or homicides in São Paulo was similar and mainly influenced by economic status. The nutritional profile, characterized by being overweight, suggests that these orphans have not shown additional risks due to those orphanhood-related variables.