Resumen Introduccion : En America Latina y el Caribe el 10% de la poblacion de presenta desnutricion y el 16% en ninos menores de cinco anos. Objetivo : Identificar la anemia como signo de malnutricion en ninos del programa de recuperacion nutricional domiciliaria del Hospital San Juan de Dios de Santa Rosa de Osos, Antioquia. Materiales y metodos : Estudio descriptivo transversal, que incluyo 33 ninos (0-10 anos) del programa y fueron excluidos pacientes anemicos por otra causa. Se realizaron hemoleucogramas analizando valores de hemoglobina, hematocrito, presencia de anemia y su clasificacion. El MUAC Mid-Upper Arm Circumference se empleo para valorar el estado nutricional de la poblacion. Otras medidas antropometricas utilizadas fueron el peso en kilogramos y talla en centimetros e IMC (Indice de Masa Corporal). Se realizo una base de datos en el programa SPSS version 19.0 para el analisis asi: las variables cuantitativas con nivel de razon, promedios y desviaciones estandar (DE) y variables cualitativas en porcentajes. La investigacion conto con el aval etico de la institucion. Resultados : El 51% de los pacientes incluidos en el estudio fueron de sexo femenino, la edad promedio fue 3.5 anos, el 97% correspondieron a estratos socioeconomicos 1- 2 y cuatro de cada cinco pacientes pertenecian al regimen contributivo. El 8.6% padecian desnutricion global y el 23% bajo peso. Se encontro la hemoglobina con promedio de 12.3 g/dL y el hematocrito 37.3%. En los ninos con anemia, en mas de la tercera parte, se evidencio microcitosis e hipocromia. Conclusion : Los valores antropometricos se relacionan con valores limites de la hemoglobina y la presencia de anemia microcitica hipocromica. Abstract Introduction: 10% of the population present malnutrition in Latin America and the Caribbean and 16% in children under five . Objective : To identify anemia as a sign of malnutrition in children belonging to the home nutritional recovery program from San Juan de Dios Hospital in Santa Rosa de Osos, Antioquia. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional study which included 33 children (0-10 years) from the program was carried out. Anemic patients for other reasons were excluded. Full blood counts were done using values of hemoglobin, hematocrit, presence of anemia and its classification for analysis. The MUAC (Mid-Upper Arm Circumference) to assess the nutritional status of the population was employed. Other anthropometric measures used were the weight in kilograms and height in centimeters and BMI (Body Mass Index). A database in the program SPSS version 19.0 was done for the analysis of information. The quantitative variables with the level of reason, averages and standard deviations (SD) were analyzed and qualitative variables were expressed in percentages. The research had the ethical approval from the institution. Results: 51% of patients included in the study were female, and the average age was 3.5 years, 97% corresponded to 1 and 2 socioeconomic strata and four out of five patients belonged to the contributory scheme. The 8.6% suffered from global malnutrition and the 23% suffered from underweight. Hemoglobin with average of 12.3 g/dL and hematocrit 37.3% were found. In children with anemia, in more than a third, hypochromia and microcytosis were evident. Conclusion : anthropometric values relate to limiting values of hemoglobin and the presence of hypochromic microcytic anemia.