Acute morbidity and physical growth in rural Guatemalan children
R. Martorell, J. P. Habicht, C. Yarbrough, A. Lechtig, R. E. Klein and K. A. Western
The relationship between morbidity and physical growth increments was
investigated in 716 Guatemalan children ranging in age from 15 days to 7
years. The growth variables investigated were semestral and yearly
increments in total body length and weight. The number of days ill with
diarrhea, fever, and respiratory illnesses per semester or year was used as
an indicator of morbidity. The morbidity data were collected through
bi-weekly retrospective interviews of mothers. Children less ill with
diarrhea had substantially larger increments in length and weight than
children who were ill with diarrhea a greater percentage of the time. In
contrast, fever and respiratory illnesses did not affect growth rates.
These findings highlight the fact that diarrhea is a major public health
problem in developing nations.
