title: Impact of infection on the growth of children from 0 to 2 years in an urban West African community.
abstract: To determine the relationship between growth and morbidity in the first 2 y of life, we studied a cohort of 126 newborns in a Gambian township. Mean weight-for-age exceeded the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) standards in the first half of infancy but there was a mean deficit of 1.2 kg by age 1 y. Only two diseases contributed significantly to weight faltering: diarrheal diseases were estimated to cause one-half of the deficit and lower respiratory tract infections (LRTI) one-quarter. LRTI reduced weight gain in young children by 14.7 g/d of infection and diarrheal diseases in weaning infants by 14.4 g/d. Diarrhea had no significant impact on the growth of exclusively breast-fed infants. Growth velocity was normal in the second year of life, despite continuing infections.
authors.affiliation: Medical Research Council (MRC) Laboratories, Fajara, The Gambia.
authors.forename: M G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Rowland
authors.forename: S G
authors.initials: SG
authors.lastname: Rowland
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Cole
mesh_terms: D000886:Anthropometry; D001724:Birth Weight; D001942:Breast Feeding; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003967:Diarrhea / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D005714:Gambia; D006128:Growth; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007239:Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D012621:Seasons; D014505:Urban Population; D014886:Weaning