Abstract
The occurrence of growth decelerations in children was studied in more than 16 000 two-to-four-month time intervals, ending at ages 6 through 59 months, during a multi-round survey in Kasongo. Decelerations were measured as changes in standard deviation scores which were compared with international and local weight-for-age, weight-for-height, arm-circumference-for-age and arm-circumference-for-height reference data. Decelerations were strikingly frequent, particularly at younger ages. An important number of decelerations was related to infection with measles which provokes initial wasting; later, recuperation was partly through increase of weight and arm circumference, and partly through delayed stunting. The measurement of growth decelerations has the advantage over isolated weight-for-age or arm-circumference-for-age measurements in that the impact of age-dependency-induced errors is largely eliminated. The relative merits of the local and international reference curves are discussed.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Koster F. T., Curlin G. C., Aziz K. M., Haque A. Synergistic impact of measles and diarrhoea on nutrition and mortality in Bangladesh. Bull World Health Organ. 1981;59(6):901–908. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Mata L. J., Kromal R. A., Urrutia J. J., Garcia B. Effect of infection on food intake and the nutritional state: perspectives as viewed from the village. Am J Clin Nutr. 1977 Aug;30(8):1215–1227. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/30.8.1215. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Waterlow J. C., Buzina R., Keller W., Lane J. M., Nichaman M. Z., Tanner J. M. The presentation and use of height and weight data for comparing the nutritional status of groups of children under the age of 10 years. Bull World Health Organ. 1977;55(4):489–498. [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]