The growth of young children in a Gambian village.

A detailed study of the growth and health of 215 children under 5 years in the village of Keneba (Gambia) during 1962-1963 was conducted. At the same time, outline information was collected in 3 adjacent villages--Jali, Manduar, and Kantongkunda. There were 99 live births during 1962-1963. It became obvious during the 1st year of the study that season exercised a marked effect on trends in body weight, and it became necessary to define the seasons. Data from children who died during the survey period were excluded. Of the 99 liveborn babies, 93 were measured within 3 days of birth. The data suggested that birth weights were on average lower during the wet than the dry months, but the differences between the quarter years were not statistically significantly. There was no indication that the weight gains in the 1st 6 months of small babies differed from those of large babies. The seasonal effect was slight during the early months of life but became obvious at later ages. Children born in the early part of the year gained very well until nearly the end of their 1st rainy season, when there was a short setback. Children born during the wet months grew well until the onset of the rains in the following year. Those born during the earlier part of the dry season received a marked check to growth soon after entering the wet months. Both season of birth and age dictated the average pattern of gain in weight during the 1st year of life. Until about 6 months of age, season made little difference to rates of gain in Keneba, but thereafter increments were about zero or slightly negative during the wet months with some catch up during the dry months. The Keneba babies grew much faster than American babies during the first 3 months of life, but much more slowly during the 2nd half of the 1st year. By the end of the 2nd year the average rate of growth in height had practically caught up with the American standard. The data confirmed the previous finding that, in general, the growth of children who die is not very different from that of children who survive, and that the events which precede death cause effects on body weight which are of relatively short duration.