Abstract

AIMS To review diarrhoea presentations and nutritional status in young rural Gambian children over a 15 year period as a test of an earlier hypothesis that reduced diarrhoea prevalence would lead to improved growth and a reduced prevalence of malnutrition.

SUBJECTS AND METHODS Growth and morbidity were documented routinely in 1190 children under 2 years of age attending the Dunn Nutrition Group clinic at Keneba between 1979 and 1993.

RESULTS The numbers of presentations with diarrhoea (1069 in 1979; 220 in 1993) and the proportion of clinic attendees with diarrhoea (30% in 1979; 8% in 1993) fell steadily between 1979 and 1993. However, at both 1 year old, mean weights (Z scores: 1979, −1.8; 1993, −1.8) and mean lengths (Z scores: 1979, −1.3; 1993, −1.7), and at 2 years old, mean weights (Z scores: 1979, −2.0; 1993, −1.9) and mean lengths (Z scores: 1979, −2.0; 1993, −2.1) did not change noticeably over the 15 year period.

CONCLUSION Major progressive reductions in clinic presentations with diarrhoea have not been associated with improved nutritional status in this population of young rural Gambian children.