THE ROLE OF NURSES IN PREVENTING CHILD MALNUTRITION IN PRIMARY HEALTH CARE: AN INTEGRATIVE REVIEW 1

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.22533/at.ed.01596526160410

• Palavras-chave: Child Malnutrition; Nursing; Primary Health Care; Food Security; Health Promotion.

• Keywords: Child Malnutrition; Nursing; Primary Health Care; Food Security; Health Promotion.

• Abstract:

  Child malnutrition is a significant public health problem, especially in contexts marked by social vulnerability, food insecurity, and inequalities in access to health services, with significant repercussions on child growth and development. This study aimed to analyze the scientific evidence regarding the role of nurses in the prevention of child malnutrition within the context of Primary Health Care. This is an integrative literature review conducted in the SciELO, LILACS, and BDENF databases, using search terms in Portuguese and English combined with Boolean operators. Studies published between 2021 and 2025 were included, resulting in a final sample of five articles, selected in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. The findings show that nurses’ role in preventing child malnutrition involves systematic actions to monitor growth and development, early identification of risk factors, food and nutritional surveillance, and the development of educational practices with families and communities. However, the effectiveness of these actions is influenced by social determinants, such as unfavorable socioeconomic conditions, low adherence to guidelines, structural weaknesses in health services, and gaps in professional training.
  It is concluded that nursing plays a strategic role in the prevention of child malnutrition, particularly in Primary Health Care, and is fundamental for health promotion and addressing the inequities that impact children’s nutritional status, requiring the strengthening of public policies and the expansion of evidence-based intersectoral strategies.