Children Discharged following Nutritional Rehabilitation: A Follow-up Study

Abstract

The results of a 1-year follow up of children discharged from a nutritional rehabilitation centre (NRC) in eastern Nepal are presented. One hundred and one children were visited at home on discharge from the NRC, at 6 months and 1 year later. Data were collected concurrently on one sibling and two neighbouring children matched for age and sex. Anthropometry was carried out at each visit and information collected on socio-economic variables and child feeding practices. A significantly higher death rate was observed in index children as compared with controls. Index children demonstrated catch-up growth with both greater weight gain and faster increases in height than either control group post-discharge. At 6 months, mean weight-for-height was similar in all three groups but at one year mean height-for-age was still lower in the index children as compared with controls. The prognosis for female children appeared to be poorer than for boys.