It has been proposed that, in the Mexican culture, family support can be a factor that contributes to protect the maternal and child health of pregnant adolescents. There may be complex associations between family support and the circumstances of a pregnancy during adolescence. The aim of the study was to analyze the association between the family support network (FSN) characteristic and the maternal and neonatal outcomes in Mexican adolescents. A cross-sectional study was conducted, and 352 pregnant adolescents participated; their FSN during pregnancy was assessed. The gestational weight gain and birth weight/length of newborns were registered. The size of the FSN was described and divided into quartiles; the main members for each quartile were identified. Then, sociodemographic and clinical variables were compared by FSN quartiles. Logistic regression models were performed to assess the association of FSN size and pregnancy and neonatal outcomes. Our results indicate that the mean age was 15 ± 1 year old. The primary support member in the FSN was the mother of the adolescent in each quartile, except for quartile 3, where the primary support was the mother-in-law. In quartile 3 there was a significantly lower gestational weight gain compared to quartile 4 (11.8 ± 5 vs. 13 ± 5 kg, p = 0.054). According to the regression model, a higher risk of small for gestational age (OR 2.99, CI 95% 1.25–7.15) newborns was found in quartile 3. We conclude that the maternal and neonatal outcomes did not differ between quartiles of FSN size, except for quartile 3. Small for gestational age newborns were observed when a non-blood relative was present in the FSN. The quality rather than the network size might be more important for improving pregnancy outcomes.

Interventions in children with adiposity decrease less than 0.2 the body mass index (BMI) z-score less than 0.2 and only in 21–23% of cases. Experts recommend focusing on the habits of a healthy lifestyle (HLS) but considering the sociocultural context of children and their parents. Our objective was to achieve a higher percentage of success in lowering the BMI z-score in children with adiposity and their parents through a pilot program “Sacbe” based on HLS, sensitive to the sociocultural context previously explored and with the active participation of parents. This is a pilot study in children aged 8 to 18 years with adiposity according to the BMI z-score. The program consisted of two workshops on HLS and nutrition given by the pediatric endocrinologist in group sessions with 3–5 families and reinforcements in each visit by registered dietitians. We recorded lifestyle habits and anthropometric characteristics of children and their parents at the baseline visit and every month for 3–4 months. Forty-nine families, 55 children and 64 parents participated, 60% of the children were female, the average age was 13.95 ± 3.3 years, 72.7% and 86.7% lowered the z score of the BMI due to intention to treat and protocol analysis (p < 0.001), respectively; BMI z-score decreased by 0.22 ± 0.21, from 2.13 ± 0.57 to 1.91 ± 0.58 (p < 0.001). In total, 83% of the parents involved were mothers, the average age was 45.8 ± 9.4 years, 77% lost weight and body fat (p < 0.001), the frequency of unhealthy habits decreased. The results of “Sacbe” exceeded expectations by combining the active participation of parents, sessions in groups, and the education on various components of an HLS inside sociocultural context. The main challenge will be to standardize and reproduce this type of complex interventions, as well as to assure long-term success.

Objetivo: evaluar la asociación entre los factores socioeconómicos y perinatales con la talla alcanzada en la adolescencia en población de localidades rurales del Estado de México. Material y método: es un estudio observacional, analítico, longitudinal tipo cohorte, se realizó en 27 localidades rurales distribuidas en tres municipios (San José del Rincón, San Felipe del Progreso y Villa Victoria) del Estado de México, México. Se tomaron como participantes aquellos adolescentes que se les evaluó el estado de nutrición en dos periodos entre los años 2002 al 2009, habitantes localidades seleccionadas y firmen las cartas de consentimiento para ser re-evaluado en el 2022, selección por conveniencia. Para obtener la información se realizaron visitas domiciliarias en el año 2022 en donde se entrevistaron a los tutores, se obtuvieron los siguientes datos antropométricos, en etapa preescolar: peso, longitud y talla, para la siguiente etapa como adolescente: peso, longitud, talla, talla sentado y circunferencia de cintura, por personal capacitado y estandarizado, se aplicó una encuesta sobre las condiciones del hogar. Resultados: evaluación final (entre 12 y 16 años de edad), 17.6% presentó extremidades inferiores cortas, el peso al nacer, la talla de la madre y el número de hijos nacidos vivos están asociados a presentar talla baja en la edad adolescencia. Conclusiones: se evidencian variables asociadas a baja talla en edad adolescente, falta estudiar la dieta actual del adolescente para saber el efecto que tiene en el estado de nutrición que presentan, así como datos pre-post natales, socioeconómicos en la edad preescolar y seguridad alimentaria.