{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,26]],"date-time":"2026-06-26T05:45:59Z","timestamp":1782452759372,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":26,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"12","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,19]],"date-time":"2026-06-19T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1781827200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Nutrients"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Background: Early childhood nutrition is strongly associated with neurodevelopmental outcomes, particularly in socially vulnerable settings. Limited evidence is available describing the relationship between nutritional status, food security, and neurodevelopment among preschool children in low-income urban areas of Colombia. This study aimed to evaluate nutritional status, household food insecurity, and neurodevelopmental outcomes in children attending early childhood centers in El Codito, Bogot\u00e1, and to explore the association between anthropometric indicators and neurodevelopmental performance. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in children enrolled in community childcare centers. Nutritional status was assessed using anthropometric indicators according to World Health Organization growth standards, including weight for age, height for age, and body mass index for age. Neurodevelopment was evaluated using the Escala Abreviada de Desarrollo (EAD). Household food insecurity was measured through a validated questionnaire. Descriptive statistics were performed, and associations between variables were analyzed using correlation tests and group comparisons according to data distribution. Results: Most participants presented adequate nutritional status; however, a proportion of children showed risk of stunting or excess weight. Neurodevelopmental scores were generally within expected ranges, although variability was observed across developmental domains. Significant associations were identified between certain anthropometric indicators and neurodevelopmental outcomes. Moderate to severe household food insecurity was identified in 21.4% of participating households. Conclusions: Nutritional status and household food insecurity represent important contextual factors for child health in vulnerable urban populations. These findings highlight the importance of integrated nutritional and developmental monitoring strategies within early childhood programs. Further longitudinal studies are required to clarify causal pathways and to guide targeted public health interventions in similar contexts.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/nu18121996","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,19]],"date-time":"2026-06-19T13:04:04Z","timestamp":1781874244000},"page":"1996","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["Assessing the Nutritional and Neurodevelopmental Status in Children Attending Preschools in a Neighborhood in Bogot\u00e1, Colombia"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"18","author":[{"given":"Laura Sofia","family":"Aguilera-Ari\u00f1o","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Neuroscience Research Group (Neuros), Centro de Neurociencia\u2014Neurovitae, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Carrera 24 #63c-69, Bogot\u00e1 111221, Colombia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1601-5015","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Claudia","family":"Talero-Guti\u00e9rrez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neuroscience Research Group (Neuros), Centro de Neurociencia\u2014Neurovitae, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Carrera 24 #63c-69, Bogot\u00e1 111221, Colombia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-8889-4170","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Alberto","family":"Velez-Van-Merbeeke","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Neuroscience Research Group (Neuros), Centro de Neurociencia\u2014Neurovitae, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Carrera 24 #63c-69, Bogot\u00e1 111221, Colombia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0001-3491-5212","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Natalia","family":"Pedraza-L\u00f3pez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinical Research Group\u2014Epidemiological Studies Line, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Quinta de Mutis Campus, Carrera 24 #63c-69, Bogot\u00e1 111221, Colombia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Maria","family":"Pati\u00f1o-Rattiva","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Undergraduate Neuroscience Research Group (Semineuros), Center of Neuroscience\u2014Neurovitae, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Carrera 24 #63c-69, Bogot\u00e1 111221, Colombia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Isabella","family":"Pastrana-Bustamante","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Undergraduate Neuroscience Research Group (Semineuros), Center of Neuroscience\u2014Neurovitae, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Carrera 24 #63c-69, Bogot\u00e1 111221, Colombia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Juan Andr\u00e9s","family":"Ospina-Arias","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Undergraduate Neuroscience Research Group (Semineuros), Center of Neuroscience\u2014Neurovitae, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Carrera 24 #63c-69, Bogot\u00e1 111221, Colombia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mariana","family":"Quijano-Zauner","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Undergraduate Neuroscience Research Group (Semineuros), Center of Neuroscience\u2014Neurovitae, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Carrera 24 #63c-69, Bogot\u00e1 111221, Colombia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Mar\u00eda Jos\u00e9","family":"Vel\u00e1squez","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Undergraduate Neuroscience Research Group (Semineuros), Center of Neuroscience\u2014Neurovitae, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Carrera 24 #63c-69, Bogot\u00e1 111221, Colombia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0001-7394-5588","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Sara Sofia","family":"Carvajal-Rinc\u00f3n","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Undergraduate Neuroscience Research Group (Semineuros), Center of Neuroscience\u2014Neurovitae, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Carrera 24 #63c-69, Bogot\u00e1 111221, Colombia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Angela Mar\u00eda","family":"Pinz\u00f3n-Rond\u00f3n","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Clinical Research Group\u2014Epidemiological Studies Line, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad del Rosario, Quinta de Mutis Campus, Carrera 24 #63c-69, Bogot\u00e1 111221, Colombia"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,19]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","unstructured":"UNICEF Spain (2011). 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