The national food surveys of 1974, 1979 and 1989 were analysed in orde
r to evaluate the levels and tendencies of the malnutrition prevalence
in children one to five years old. The malnutrition prevalence mantai
ned its level with minor changes: it increased from 49 to 53 percent i
n the group with -1 SD, and from 17 to 19 per cent in those with -2 SD
, in relation with the oms-NCHS standards. If the information is analy
sed by social sectors, it is possible to conclude that the apparent st
ability is due to a process of nutritional polarization: the areas tha
t had lower figures improved as the poor and Indian areas with high pr
evalence of initial malnutrition deteriorated even more.