Knowledge, attitudes and food practices in caregivers and nutritional status in infants from Ventaquemada, Boyacá, Colombia

Conocimientos, actitudes y prácticas alimentarias en cuidadores y estado nutricional en lactantes de Ventaquemada, Boyacá, Colombia

Objective: to determine possible association between the nutritional status of children under two years of age and the level of knowledge, attitudes and practices of caregivers of these infants, in relation to nutritional status, including dietary diversity, in accordance with the groups of foods. Materials and methods: there were carried out a observational, analytical, cross-sectional study, which aims to identify the nutritional status according to World Health Organization standards using anthropometric variables, in a sample of 170 infants, simultaneously, was determine the level of knowledge, attitudes and practices of the caregivers, in a rural environment; For this purpose, questionnaires of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization, adapted for a rural population of Ventaquemada, Colombia were used. Results: there are no significant differences in malnutrition rates; although most caregivers have good knowledge of infant nutrition, this knowledge is not applied, because caregivers perceive that they are in correct practice. Conclusions: This finding suggests the development of community intervention studies on beliefs, values, individual and collective emotions, around food practices.