Severe linear growth retardation in rural Zambian children: the influence of biological variables
- 1 February 2000
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Elsevier BV in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition
- Vol. 71 (2), 550-559
- https://doi.org/10.1093/ajcn/71.2.550
Abstract
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.Keywords
This publication has 22 references indexed in Scilit:
- Early Nutrition and Later Physical Work CapacityNutrition Reviews, 2009
- Food consumption of young stunted and non-stunted children in rural ZambiaEuropean Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1999
- Relationship of childhood protein‐energy malnutrition and parasite infections in an urban African settingTropical Medicine & International Health, 1997
- Relationship between maternal nutritional status and infant’s weight and body proportions at birthEuropean Journal of Clinical Nutrition, 1997
- The HIV epidemic in ZambiaAIDS, 1997
- The significance of socio-economic characteristics for adult seasonal body-weight fluctuations: a study in north-western BeninBritish Journal of Nutrition, 1994
- Age-related changes in serum free thyroxine during childhood and adolescenceThe Journal of Pediatrics, 1993
- Pattern of attained growth in 0 to 5 year‐old children from Kivu (Zaire)Ecology of Food and Nutrition, 1991
- Guidelines on selection of laboratory tests for monitoring the acute phase response. International Committee for Standardization in Haematology (expert panel on blood rheology).Journal of Clinical Pathology, 1988
- The Anaemia of P. falciparum MalariaBritish Journal of Haematology, 1980