Relationships between wasting and linear growth in stunted children.
Height-for-age and weight-for-height are commonly used indicators of nutritional status; however, their precise interrelationship remains unclear. We examined the relationship between weight-for-height and linear growth in 127 stunted Jamaican children aged 9-24 months. The children were measured every 6 months over a 2-year period. The initial weight-for-height status was positively associated with linear growth in the following 6-month interval. The change in weight-for-height in the preceding interval was a better predictor of linear growth in the next interval than attained weight-for-height at the beginning of the interval. The results suggest that variations in weight-for-height may influence the rate of linear growth.
Walker
S P
SP
Tropical Metabolism Research Unit, University of the West Indies, Kingston, Jamaica.
Grantham-McGregor
S M
SM
Himes
J H
JH
Powell
C A
CA
D000367:Age Factors; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D015362:Child Nutrition Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005183:Failure to Thrive / Q000175:diagnosis*; D005260:Female; D006128:Growth; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D015596:Nutrition Assessment; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011379:Prognosis; D011502:Protein-Energy Malnutrition / Q000175:diagnosis*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D019282:Wasting Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis*