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Incidence and Spectrum of Malnutrition in Paediatric Hospital Wards


L.A. Wagstaff
J Geefhuysen

Abstract

The incid.ence and type of malnutrition in a Johannesburg hospital for Blacks were studied in 1 567 paediatric medical inpatients under the age of 10 years. Fifty-eight per cent were significantly malnourished. The highest incidence (80%) occurred between 7 months and 2 years of agewith a mortality double that of better-nourished children. Gastro-enteritis contributed greatly to morbidity and mortality. Only 9% of children reached or exceeded the 50th percentile for weight. Despite unsatisfactory socioeconomic conditions, this heavy load of avoidable illness and death might be alleviated by more co-ordinated use of available agencies for health promotion.


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eISSN: 2078-5135
print ISSN: 0256-9574