Efecto de las infecciones y la dieta sobre el crecimiento del niño: Experiencia en una aldea Guatemalteca / Effects of diet and infection on child growth: Experience in a Guatemalan Village

ABSTRACT

A group of children were studied from birth. The study included diet, clinical history, and microbial and parasitic colonies of the intestine. Despite low weight at birth, the growth rate was adequate during the first months of life. Weight loss became apparent after a lapse of 3 to 6 months. Failure to gain weight was related to a progressively deficient diet and to an increase in frequency of infections and infectious diseases. The effect of the infections was established by comparing actual weight increases with anticipated ones, and by correlating the number of days of sickness with weight increase, which proved the relation between infectious diseases and the failure to gain weight