| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|||||||||
Original Research Communications |
1 From the Departments of Pediatrics and Medical Microbiology and the Central Clinical Chemical Laboratory of the University Hospital Nijmegen St Radboud, Nijmegen, Netherlands; the Department of Medical Statistics, Faculty of Medicine, Catholic University Nijmegen, Nijmegen, Netherlands; the Division of Human Nutrition and Epidemiology, Wageningen Agricultural University, Wageningen, Netherlands; and the Tropical Diseases Research Centre, Ndola, Zambia.
Background: The prevalence of stunting in preschool children in Zambia is high; stunting has detrimental effects on concurrent psychomotor development and later working capacity.
Objective: Our objective was to investigate biological variables that may contribute to linear growth retardation in preschool children in Samfya District, Zambia.
Design: Children aged 6–9 mo (n = 108) and 14–20 mo (n = 102) attending mother-and-child health clinics were included. With a mixed-longitudinal design, they were followed up 9 and 21 mo later. Height and weight of children and their mothers were measured. Biochemical measures (eg, serum zinc, retinol, thyrotropin, iron, and acute phase protein concentrations), malaria parasitemia, and intestinal parasitosis were assessed.
Results: Height-for-age z scores (HAZ) were low, indicating a high prevalence of stunting (36–79%). Ninety percent of the children were anemic, 53–71% had elevated acute phase proteins, and 80% had malaria parasitemia. Regression analyses showed that maternal height predicted the children's height at 6–9 mo (regression coefficient = 0.05; 95% CI: 0.02, 0.08). The children's height at an early age (6–9 and 14–20 mo) showed a strong relation with their height at later ages (22–30 and 34–41 mo). Serum micronutrient status did not show a significant relation with later HAZ.
Conclusion: Unlike other studies, we did not identify specific biological factors, such as health and micronutrient status, which contribute to the retardation of linear growth. The normal zinc and iodine statuses of the children suggest that at least these factors are not causal.
Key Words: Preschool children • Zambia • height • growth • micronutrients • biochemistry • malaria • maternal nutrition • height-for-age
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  C. M. Smuts, M. A. Dhansay, M. Faber, M. E. van Stuijvenberg, S. Swanevelder, R. Gross, and A. J. S. Benade Efficacy of Multiple Micronutrient Supplementation for Improving Anemia, Micronutrient Status, and Growth in South African Infants J. Nutr., March 1, 2005; 135(3): 653S - 659S. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. S. Gibson, F. Yeudall, N. Drost, B. M. Mtitimuni, and T. R. Cullinan Experiences of a Community-Based Dietary Intervention to Enhance Micronutrient Adequacy of Diets Low in Animal Source Foods and High in Phytate: A Case Study in Rural Malawian Children J. Nutr., November 1, 2003; 133(11): 3992S - 3999. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
S. Zlotkin, P. Arthur, C. Schauer, K. Y. Antwi, G. Yeung, and A. Piekarz Home-Fortification with Iron and Zinc Sprinkles or Iron Sprinkles Alone Successfully Treats Anemia in Infants and Young Children J. Nutr., April 1, 2003; 133(4): 1075 - 1080. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 A. M. KWENA, D. J. TERLOUW, S. J. DE VLAS, P. A. PHILLIPS-HOWARD, W. A. HAWLEY, J. F. FRIEDMAN, J. M. VULULE, B. L. NAHLEN, R. W. SAUERWEIN, and F. O. TER KUILE PREVALENCE AND SEVERITY OF MALNUTRITION IN PRE-SCHOOL CHILDREN IN A RURAL AREA OF WESTERN KENYA Am J Trop Med Hyg, April 1, 2003; 68(90040): 94 - 99. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
 |
|
 W. Checkley, L. D. Epstein, R. H. Gilman, L. Cabrera, and R. E. Black Effects of Acute Diarrhea on Linear Growth in Peruvian Children Am. J. Epidemiol., January 15, 2003; 157(2): 166 - 175. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
