Association between nutritional status and food communication environments among children in the Cordoba Metropolitan Area, Argentina, in 2024
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32870/jbf.v6i11.115Keywords:
Nutritional status, Socioeconomic characteristics, Environmental factors, food communication environmentsAbstract
The first years of life are a critical stage for the growth and overall development of children, during which eating patterns and behaviors are established that can persist throughout their lives. In Argentina, childhood malnutrition is a significant problem where exposure to green spaces and the influence of the media play a fundamental role in shaping eating habits and the prevalence of obesogenic behaviors. This study aimed to evaluate the association between nutritional status and food communication environments, socioeconomic characteristics, and environmental factors in children aged three to 12 years in the Metropolitan Area of the City of Córdoba during 2024. A cross-sectional, observational, and analytical study was conducted. To evaluate associations, bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed with a significance level of p <0.05. The results showed significant associations between the Global Diet Quality Indicator and social media use, exposure to food advertising, children's participation in food selection, brand influence, and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). Likewise, Body Mass Index (BMI) was associated with social media use and several environmental factors. The study concludes that overnutrition has become an epidemic influenced by social, political, and family factors, highlighting the importance of green spaces. Therefore, a comprehensive approach combining public policies, advertising regulations, and improvements in the social and environmental surroundings is proposed.
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Copyright (c) 2026 María Sol Moreno, Lourdes Oriana Chavarría, Gabriel David Torres, Micaela Natalia Campero, Romina Destéfanis, Romina Biondini, Carlos Matías Scavuzzo
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