Peer-reviewed article
Dietary Habits and Nutritional Status in Ecuatorian Children Aged 1-11 Years: A Systematic Review Highlighting the Dual Burden of Malnutrition.
Keila S Micoanski, Cristina Izquierdo-García, Alex S Huacho-Jácome, María Trelis, Mónica Gozalbo ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This systematic review examined dietary habits and nutritional status in Ecuadorian children aged 1-11 years, covering approximately 12,000 children from 17 studies published between 2018 and 2025. The review found that Ecuador faces a dual burden of malnutrition: chronic undernutrition affects 15-35% of children (particularly in rural and indigenous areas), while overweight and obesity affect 20-30% (more common in urban and higher-income settings). Children commonly consume high amounts of ultra-processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages while lacking sufficient fruits, vegetables, and quality proteins. Key drivers of malnutrition include maternal education, socioeconomic level, and school food environments.
Key points
- Chronic undernutrition prevalence ranges from 15-35%, with higher rates among rural and indigenous children
- Overweight and obesity affect 20-30% of children, predominantly in urban and higher-income areas
- Common dietary patterns include high consumption of ultra-processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages, with insufficient intake of fruits, vegetables, and quality proteins
- Maternal education, socioeconomic level, and school food environments are key determinants of nutritional status
- The review recommends school-based nutrition education, food marketing regulation, improved access to healthy foods, and community-level engagement
Limitations
The included studies were mostly cross-sectional in design and frequently used non-validated dietary assessment tools, which may affect the reliability of the reported prevalence estimates. The review cannot establish causal relationships or provide evidence about intervention effectiveness.
Abstract
Background: Background: Childhood dietary habits are critical determinants of physical growth, cognitive development, and long-term health. In Ecuador, malnutrition remains a major public health concern, with both undernutrition and overweight/obesity affecting children-especially in rural and indigenous populations. Methods: This systematic review followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines (PROSPERO ID: CRD420251080987). Searches were conducted in SciELO, Dialnet, and ScienceDirect (accessed August 2025) using Boolean operators to identify quantitative studies in Spanish or English published between 2018 and 2025 that assessed dietary habits and nutritional status in Ecuadorian children aged 1-11 years. Seventeen studies, including approximately 12,000 children, were included. Results: Prevalence of chronic undernutrition ranged from 15% to 35%, while overweight and obesity reached 20-30%. Undernutrition was higher among rural and indigenous children, whereas overweight predominated in urban and higher-income settings. Common dietary patterns included high consumption of ultra-processed foods and sugar-sweetened beverages, and insufficient intake of fruits, vegetables, and quality proteins. Maternal education, socioeconomic level, and school food environments were key determinants. Conclusions: Both malnutrition and overweight persist among Ecuadorian children, reflecting a nutrition transition influenced by socioeconomic and environmental factors. Context-specific public health actions are urgently needed, including school-based nutrition education, regulation of food marketing, improved access to affordable healthy foods, and community-level engagement to promote sustainable dietary habits. The included studies were mostly cross-sectional and often used non-validated dietary assessment tools, which may influence the reported prevalence estimates.