Gonzalo A. Patiño

Desigualdad y nutrición: Encuesta de la Situación Nutricional en Colombia, 2010

Objectives: to calculate inequality indices based on seven variables relating to monetary poverty in children aged between 5 and 17 years and postpartum women of interest to the public nutrition authorities in Colombia. Methods: an ecological study was carried out based on 2011 data for monetary poverty and ENSIN obtained in the 2010 survey used to calculate rates based on inequality of ranges, disparity, disproportionality, regression models, and the concept of entropy. The study focused on children aged between 5 and 17 years old and postpartum women up to 48 hours after having given birth. Results: the prevalence of monetary poverty was 41.5% (95% CI 35.7 to 47.4). 82.4% of anemia and 68.2% of B12 deficiency could be avoided if there were no poverty. Inequality was found for all the variables except excess television. The Gini index for underweight was 0.20 and for anemia 0.38. Poverty accounts for 78% of house hold food insecurity. Conclusions: inequalities in nutrition can be considered to be dynamic and match structural inequalities. It was evident that there is inequality in all variables except excess to watching television or playing video games. Public policy for poor women stresses gender inequality. The distribution of malnutrition in Colombia is not homogeneous and this shows the existence of unjust inequalities affecting the most vulnerable.

Desplazamiento forzado, niñez y adolescencia: escenarios en relación con su estabilización socioeconómica

Objetivo Describir y analizar escenarios de estabilizacion socioeconomica para poblacion en situacion de desplazamiento forzado, en los que se preste especial atencion a la situacion de ninos, ninas y adolescentes. Metodos Se utiliza, a partir de talleres de expertos, el metodo Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), elaborado por el profesor Thomas Saaty con participacion investigadores, ONG y de comunidades en situacion de desplazamiento del Area Metropolitana de Bucaramanga. Resultados El resultado parcial de esta investigacion muestra como algunos adultos mayores de comunidades en situacion de desplazamiento forzado prefieren adaptarse a los centros urbanos, antes que retornar sus lugares de origen, en particular cuando se trata de la proteccion y el bienestar de sus hijos menores. El indice de consistencia y la relacion de consistencia del metodo estan dentro de los parametros previstos. Conclusion Es necesario repensar los programas de estabilizacion socioeconomica promovidos por el gobierno en relacion con la poblacion en situacion de desplazamiento forzado, en particular cuando se preven situaciones que comprometen el bienestar de los ninos, ninas y adolecentes.

Consumption of sweetened-beverages and poverty in Colombia: when access is not an advantage

BackgroundThis study characterizes the intake of sweetened beverages and establishes whether economic inequalities in their consumption exists.MethodsEcological study. Mixed methods using food frequency questionnaire and inequality indices. Based on the National Nutrition Survey, Colombia, 2010. The sweetened beverage intake of 17,514 subjects in 33 geodemographic units was estimated with a food frequency questionnaire and summarized. The calculation of inequality was based on the monetary poverty. The prevalence (yes/no) and frequency (times/day) of sweetened beverage consumption were estimated. Indices of economic inequality were calculated for both prevalence and frequency.ResultsThe prevalence of sweetened beverage consumption was between 79.2% (95% CI, 75.7 to 82.8) in adults and 88.5% (95% CI, 85.8 to 91.3) in minors. The frequency of consumption in terms of times/day, was between 0.20 (95% CI, 0.16 to 0.24) in adults and 0.40 (95% CI, 0.33 to 0.46) in minors. The Gini coefficient for the prevalence was close to zero, between 0.04 and 0.08; for the frequency, it was slightly higher, between 0.12 and 0.25.ConclusionsIt was established that there is no economic inequality in the consumption of sweetened beverages. Consumption taxes could be regressive.

Exceso de proteínas en la pobreza: la paradoja del exceso de peso en niños colombianos

The objective was to describe the total caloric value (TCV) derived from macronutrients in children under 18 years in relation to overweight in f...

Derecho a la alimentación en población en situación de desplazamiento forzado en Bucaramanga, Colombia

Resumen Objetivo: Se analizo el acceso a la alimentacion en el marco del goce efectivo de derechos en poblacion en situacion de desplazamiento forzado en el Area Metropolitana de Bucaramanga, Colombia. Materiales y metodos: Durante el segundo semestre de 2010 y el primero de 2011, se entrevistaron 272 familias siguiendo los parametros de las Encuestas Nacionales de Verificacion (ENV2007-ENV2010). Resultados: La principal causa de desplazamiento fue la amenaza directa (71,8%), seguida de los asesinatos (11,3%). El 91,2% de las familias se encontraba en el Registro Unico de Poblacion Desplazada (RUDP). El 33,5% de las familias, afirmo consumir menos alimentos de los necesarios, porque la comida no alcanzo. En el 24,6%, dejo de consumir al menos una comida principal por falta de dinero. Estar inscrito en el RUDP no se traduce en ventajas relativas con respecto al derecho a la alimentacion. Conclusion: La situacion de la poblacion del Area Metropolitana de Bucaramanga en materia del goce efectivo del derecho a la alimentacion no se cumple y corrobora la existencia de un estado de cosas inconstitucional. La situacion de inseguridad alimentaria que atraviesan las familias en situacion de desplazamiento forzado es similar a la que se registra en el pais a traves de las Encuestas Nacionales de Verificacion. Abstract Objective: The access to food in the framework of the full enjoyment of rights in population in a situation of forced displacement in the Metropolitan Area of Bucaramanga, Colombia was analyzed. Materials and methods: 272 families were interviewed during the second half of 2010 and the first half of 2011 taking into account the parameters of the National Surveys of Verification (ENV2007-ENV2010). Results: The main cause of displacement was the direct threat (71.8%), followed by murder (11.3%). 91.2% of the families was registered in the Single Register of Displaced Population (RUDP). 33.5% of the families claimed they were consuming less food than needed because the food was not enough. 24.6% of the families stopped eating at least one main meal due to lack of money. Being enrolled in RUDP does not mean they have relative advantages with respect to the right to food. Conclusion: The situation of the population of the Metropolitan Area of Bucaramanga in terms of the effective enjoyment of the right to food is not fulfilled and confirms the existence of an unconstitutional state of affairs. The situation of food insecurity that families in a situation of forced displacement deal with is similar to that registered around the country through the National Surveys of Verification.