A rapid survey to assess the nutrition of Jamaican infants and young children in 1970

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to assess the extent and nature of malnutrition in young children in Jamaica in a manner useful for Government planning. 490 infants and young children under 4 years of age were examined in 3 urban and 7 rural localities previously studied in 1963–1964. The peak period of weight failure was in children aged 9–24 months, a quarter of whom were below 80% of standard weight. No difference in average weights for age between 1963–1964 and 1970 were detected. The peak period for height failure was between 12 and 18 months. 57% of the secotrants had a chest/head circumference ratio less than 1·0 and 37% in their fourth year were still abnormal in this respect. More children had extremely thin triceps skinfolds than had small arm muscle circumferences. The results are discussed in relation to each other and to other surveys, to mortality rates, to the food balance sheet of Jamaica and to a food consumption survey carried out in 1963–1964. The conclusions are drawn that inadequate breastfeeding occurring against a backcloth of poverty and often inadequate and inappropriate supplementation has resulted in an early onset of PCM—predominantly a deficiency of total calories rather than of protein. Malnutrition is more prevalent in rural than urban areas. No change in overall nutrition of infants and young children in Jamaica between 1963 and 1970 could be detected.