ANALYSIS OF THE NUTRIMENTAL SITUATION OF THE POPULATION FROM SANTIAGO

The aim of this work was to analyze the nutrimental situation of peopl e living in Santiago, reviewing the recent published information on th is topic. There was profuse information about deficiency nutrimental p roblems among maternal and infantile groups, but fairly less in other age groups and about surplus disease. Considering food purchasing capa city, an important percentage of the population is located below the l ine of poverty. Child mortality has a low and decreasing rate and the general mortality structure shows a decline of infections causes. Ther e is a low prevalence and degree of undernutrition among preschool chi ldren and a low proportion of low birth weight new-borns. Instead, low stature affects a high porportion of school age children and its prev alence increases in puberal ages. Obesity predominates among adults an d its risk factors are female sex, low stature and a low socio-economi cal level. Iron deficiency anemia is the most important specific defic iency. Outstanding features are the degree of communal development, a relatively better situation of Santiago compared with the national ave rage and the lack of information and specific policies towards overfee ding related problems.