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Growth faltering in childhood related to diarrhea: a longitudinal community based study

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 59, pages 1317–1323 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

This study aimed to evaluate the association of diarrhea and acute lower respiratory tract infections (ALRI) with growth of preschool children.

Design:

A longitudinal community-based study over a 12-month period. Children were followed up with thrice-weekly household visits for collection of morbidity data. Every 4 months (round) clinical and anthropometric examinations were performed. At baseline a questionnaire was used to collect socioeconomic family data and environmental household variables. Generalized estimating equation was used in the statistical analysis. The variations in weight-for-age or height-for-age Z-scores in each round were the dependent variables, while the main independent variables were the number of days with diarrhea and ALRI.

Setting:

Serrinha, located in Northeast Brazil.

Subjects:

In total, 487 children, aged 6–48 months at baseline, with 1-y complete follow-up.

Results:

The number of sick days with diarrhea or ALRI was not associated with mean changes in weight-for-age Z-scores. However, the mean of height-for-age Z-scores was found to decrease in those children with 7 or more days of diarrhea (β=−0.0472; P=0.016) but not with 1 or more days of ALRI (β=0.0022; P=0.406) in all rounds of the follow-up period.

Conclusion:

Results of the study reinforce the concept of diarrhea burden as a major determinant of poor growth in children under 5 y of age. Actions targeted to decrease the risk factors for the occurrence of diarrhea may represent an important component of interventions aimed to ensure satisfactory child growth.

Sponsorship:

Financial support was provided by the World Health Organization (CDD), PRONEX/CNPq/MCT of the Brazilian Government (Agreement no. 661086/1998-4) and UNICEF (NY).

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Author notes

  1. G S da Silva Gomes: National Council on Technological Development Scholarship Awardee (CNPq) # 302228/81-0. School of Nutrition, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Nutrition, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

    A M O Assis & G S da Silva Gomes

  2. Public Health Institute, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

    M L Barreto

  3. Department of Nutrition and NP3, University of Brasilia, DF, Brazil

    L M P Santos

  4. Department of Statistics, Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil

    R Fiaccone

Authors
  1. A M O Assis
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  2. M L Barreto
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  3. L M P Santos
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  4. R Fiaccone
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  5. G S da Silva Gomes
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to A M O Assis.

Additional information

Guarantors: ML Barreto and LMP Santos.

Contributors: R Fiaccone and GSS Gomes.

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Assis, A., Barreto, M., Santos, L. et al. Growth faltering in childhood related to diarrhea: a longitudinal community based study. Eur J Clin Nutr 59, 1317–1323 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602245

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