title: Predicting Undernutrition at Age 2 Years with Early Attained Weight and Length Compared with Weight and Length Velocity.
abstract: To estimate the abilities of weight and length velocities vs attained growth measures to predict stunting, wasting, and underweight at age 2 years.
  
  
  
  We analyzed data from a community-based cohort study (The Etiology, Risk Factors, and Interactions of Enteric Infections and Malnutrition and the Consequences for Child Health and Development study [MAL-ED] study) in Bhaktapur, Nepal. A total of 240 randomly selected children were enrolled at birth and followed up monthly up to age 24 months. Linear and logistic regression models were used to predict malnutrition at 2 years of age with growth velocity z scores at 0-3, 0-6, 3-6, 6-9, 6-12, and 9-12 months (using the World Health Organization Growth Standards) or attained growth at 0, 3, 6, and 12 months as predictors.
  
  
  
  At age 2 years, 4% of the children were wasted, 13% underweight, and 21% stunted. Children who were malnourished at age 2 years had lower mean growth z scores already at birth and throughout the study period. Anthropometric indicators in infancy were significant predictors for growth at the age of 2 years during most periods and at most ages in infancy. Weight-for-age z score, length-for-age z score, and weight-for-length z score at age 12 months had excellent areas under the curve (91-95) to predict the value of the same indicator at age 24 months. Maximum area under the curve values for weight and length velocity were somewhat lower (70-84).
  
  
  
  Growth measured at one time point in infancy was better correlated with undernutrition at age 2 years than growth velocity.
authors.affiliation: Centre for International Health, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway. Electronic address: c.schwinger@uib.no.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Schwinger
authors.affiliation: Centre for International Health, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Department of Clinical Dentistry, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway.
authors.forename: Lars T
authors.initials: LT
authors.lastname: Fadnes
authors.affiliation: Centre for International Health, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Research Unit, Walter Reed/Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Kathmandu, Nepal.
authors.forename: Sanjaya K
authors.initials: SK
authors.lastname: Shrestha
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Health, Institute of Medicine, Tribuhvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal.
authors.forename: Prakash Sundar
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Shrestha
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Health, Institute of Medicine, Tribuhvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal.
authors.forename: Ram Krishna
authors.initials: RK
authors.lastname: Chandyo
authors.affiliation: Research Unit, Walter Reed/Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences, Kathmandu, Nepal.
authors.forename: Binob
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Shrestha
authors.affiliation: Department of Child Health, Institute of Medicine, Tribuhvan University, Kathmandu, Nepal.
authors.forename: Manjeswori
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ulak
authors.affiliation: Department of Enteric Diseases, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (AFRIMS), Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Ladaporn
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bodhidatta
authors.affiliation: Department of Enteric Diseases, Armed Forces Research Institute of Medical Sciences (AFRIMS), Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Carl
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Mason
authors.affiliation: Centre for International Health, Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care, University of Bergen, Bergen, Norway; Department of Research, Innlandet Hospital Trust, Lillehammer, Norway.
authors.forename: Tor A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Strand
mesh_terms: D000886:Anthropometry / Q000379:methods*; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D044342:Malnutrition / Q000175:diagnosis*; D009390:Nepal; D012044:Regression Analysis
keywords: Anthropometry; WHO Growth Velocity Standards; early identification; malnutrition; stunting; underweight; wasting