Objectives: this study is inserted in an Interdisciplinary Program of Research and aims to learn about the nutritional situation and life context of children under five in the rural environment of Arambaré/RS, Brazil, through an epidemiological cross-sectional descriptive study.
Method: the data of anthropometrical assessment (Weight/Age, Age/Height, Weight/Height) expressed in Z scores, whose reference population is that of the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) were analyzed in the Epinut software, and the semi-structured form applied to the child's responsible was analyzed through descriptive statistics in the Epi-Info 6.04.
Results: It is evidenced that the nutritional problems vary within the social heterogeneity present in the municipality. There are different levels of vulnerability to illness.
Conclusion: this study demonstrates the importance of understanding the social dynamics modelling individual behavior that reflects on health.