Resumen

MARDONES S, Francisco. EVOLUTION OF MATERNAL ANTHROPOMETRY AND BIRTH WEIGHT IN CHILE, 1987-2000. Rev. chil. nutr. [online]. 2003, vol.30, n.2, pp. 122-131. ISSN 0717-7518.  http://dx.doi.org/10.4067/S0717-75182003000200006.

The evolution of maternal and infant anthropometry in Chile between the year 1987 and 2000 is presented, and the possible association between these two factors is discused. The parallel reductions of the proportion of underweight/height pregnant women and the incidence of birth weight between 2000-2999 g is apparently due in part to a reinforced nutritional education and the access to a higher provision of food from the National Complementary Feeding Program. Other positive changes in the living conditions have happened. The possible causal association is supported on observational and quasiexperimental studies. The increment of both newborns with birth weight 4000 g and maternal weight/height overweight and obese categories seems not to be narrowly related. Its possible explanation is the observed increase of caesarean section among obese women that may advance gestational age at delivery and reduce the incidence of birthweight 4000 g. Evidence is presented that the obesity rise is part from a world epidemic. On the other hand, national observational data supports the idea that nutritional education is reducing caloric intake in obese and overweight women

Palabras llave : anemia; nutritional status; weight/height; pregnancy; birth weight.