Evaluación de ingesta de proteínas y estado nutricional en niños hospitalizados, a través de la herramienta de detección nutricional STRONGkids

Abstract

The estimation of malnutrition in hospitalized pediatric patients is difficult to determine, however the application of validated tools favor its evaluation, for this reason the present study was intended to determine the relationship between protein consumption and nutritional status by scoring the STRONGkids tool. It was a non-experimental design of a transversal type of descriptive-correlational scope. The method for determining protein consumption was performed by means of a 24-hour reminder. The samples were 60 pediatric patients hospitalized at the Icaza Bustamante Hospital in Guayaquil, 32 female with a mean of 4.75 ± 2.92 years and 28 male with a mean of 5.57 ± 3.23 years. The results showed that female patients had a high risk of malnutrition and male patients had a medium risk of malnutrition; 81% of animal protein consumption, 12% of vegetable protein consumption and 88% of total protein consumption are determined by age; 94% of animal protein consumption and 11% of vegetable protein consumption is determined by total protein consumption. According to the Coefficient of Nutritional Adequacy, a low protein consumption was evidenced in the average population. In conclusion, the relationship between protein consumption and the STRONGkids tool score was not evident; however, there is a tendency to find pediatric patients at high risk of malnutrition in those with low total protein intake.