Identifying multidimensional indicators to ensure healthy early childhood development

• Grant number: 25/21922-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: January 01, 2026
• End date: December 31, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Probability and Statistics - Applied Probability and Statistics
• Principal Investigator: Rogério Antonio de Oliveira
• Grantee: Carlo Antônio de Freitas Luders
• Host Institution: Instituto de Biociências (IBB). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

Nutritional deficiency, characterized by inadequate intake of macro- and micronutrients, poses a critical risk to child health, particularly during the first 23 months of life, when deficits may cause irreversible impairments in growth and cognitive development. Framed within the National Plan for Food and Nutrition Security (PLANSAN), this project adopts the perspective of integral child care, encompassing nutrition, health, education, safe environments, and responsive care as central dimensions of child well-being. Multidimensional indicators - demographic, socioeconomic, environmental, and health-related - as well as the Health, Environment and Protection Conditions Index (ICSAP), will be analyzed using data from public databases such as the Unified Health System (SUS). The proposal aligns with initiatives such as the Primeira Infância Primeiro (PIP) platform, which organizes indicators according to the Nurturing Care framework (WHO, UNICEF, World Bank). Methodologically, descriptive statistics and multivariate models, particularly generalized linear models, will be applied to continuous and count data. The study aims to identify determinants of child development, propose monitoring systems, and generate early-warning mechanisms for managers and health professionals. Aligned with the 2030 Agenda, the project contributes to SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being), SDG 4 (Quality Education), and SDG 10 (Reduced Inequalities), thereby strengthening public policies for early childhood.