Socioeconomic and nutritional localization, quantification and characterization of functional groups in Panama

Even though there has been an increase in the coverage of governmental services and an adequate national food availability, malnutrition continues to exist in Panamanian children. In order to geographically and administratively identify those groups more seriously affected by this problem and orient governmental actions towards them, data from the National Nutrition Survey carried out in 1980 in 14 occupational (functional) groups were classified. Social, economic and cultural characteristics of each functional group were associated with food and nutrition problems. More than half of the malnourished children fall within the functional groups who work in the agricultural/sector. Within them, more than 40% of the malnourished live in homes where two-thirds of their income is derived from work performed outside their own farms. In urban as well as in rural areas low food availability exists at the family level in 25% of the families with inadequate diets studied. The food problem in the rural area is worsened due to limited access to health services and poor environmental conditions. Therefore, the malnutrition problem in Panama is linked to low incomes that prevent acquisition of sufficient foods and other goods and services, as well as to the difficulty of accessibility to public services by an important part of the population.