Abstract

LEI, Doris Lucia Martini; MONTEIRO, Carlos Augusto; LERNER, Bárbara Regina  and  CHAVES, Sandra Pinheiro. The assessment of the impact of nutritional feeding programs for pre-school children: a methodological evaluation. Rev. Saúde Pública [online]. 1989, vol.23, n.3, pp. 230-235. ISSN 0034-8910.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0034-89101989000300008.

Two different approaches to the evaluation of the impact of food supplementation given to malnourished children are assessed on the basis of the experience of a program undertaken in the county of Diadema, in the metropolitan area of S. Paulo, Brazil. The first approach - a traditional one - is based on the proportion of children that at the end of one year's participation in the program present no weight deficit (weight for age more than 90% of the expected value). The second approach - proposed in the article - takes into account only the rate of growth and accepts weight increments superior to those expected among well-nourished children as favorable. The advantages of this second approach are fully demonstrated.

Keywords : Nutrition rehabilitation; Child, preschool; Evaluation; Weight age; Growth.