THE DETERIORATION IN CHILDRENS NUTRITIONAL-STATUS IN RURAL CHAD - THEEFFECT OF MOTHERS INFLUENCE ON FEEDING

Objectives. This study examined how maternal influence on child feedin g modified the deterioration of child nutritional status in Chad. Meth ods. The pattern of height with age was examined in 98 rural Chadian c hildren aged 12 through 71 months from 64 households randomly chosen. Results. Younger children were more stunted than older ones, probably reflecting secular deterioration in weanlings' nutritional status from 1982 to 1987. Children of mothers with influence over child feeding w ere taller than children of mothers with less influence, but this held only fr the youngest children. Conclusions. Height-for-age can be a u seful indicator of recent changes in social and environmental effects on child health. The mother's influence may have buffered the negative impact of socioeconomic conditions on child growth.