INDICATORS FOR MONITORING THE GROWTH OF PERUVIAN INFANTS - WEIGHT ANDLENGTH GAIN VS ATTAINED WEIGHT AND LENGTH

Objectives. To determine appropriate indicators and age intervals for growth monitoring in this population, the relationship between monthly weight and length indicators and nutritional status at 12 months was evaluated among 102 low-income Peruvian infants. Methods. Cutoffs for defining adequate vs slow growth were obtained from published referenc e data, and sensitivities and specificities of each indicator were cal culated. Results. Low weight gain in early infancy, especially from 1 to 2 months, is useful for predicting low weight at 1 year (sensitivit y = 81%, specificity = 65%, 25th percentile cutoff). Use of actual wei ght at 2 months. however. produces comparable results (sensitivity = 8 6%, specificity = 57%, 50th percentile cutoff). Monthly length gains w ere weak predictors of low length for age. Neither weight nor:length g ains accurately predicted the opposite form. of undernutrition. Nonhum an milk consumption before 4 months and poor appetite from 3 to 12 mon ths were related to low early weight gain and subsequent undernutritio n. Conclusions. Growth monitoring programs in this population should e nroll infants at birth, monitor actual weight, promote exclusive breas t-feeding and delayed introduction of nonhuman milk, and provide speci fic feeding advice to mothers of infants,with frequently depressed app etites.