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Epidemiology of Childhood Diarrhea in The Gambia

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Diarrhea and Malnutrition

Abstract

The data discussed in this paper are derived from a study of young children in three neighboring subsistence farming villages in a rural area of The Gambia. Their general relevance will be discussed later. The original aim of the survey was to determine the main dietary and disease causes of growth-faltering known to affect children particularly severely in the first 3 years of life. More specific studies of diarrheal disease were undertaken because it was identified as the major nondietary cause of growth impairment,1 leading, on average, to a halving of the expected monthly weight gain in infants and young children.2 With good accessibility between subjects and medical survey facilities, acute diarrheal mortality was insignificant but there was a definite though declining mortality in association with protracted diarrhea and malnutrition (weanling diarrhea syndrome).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Medical Research Council Laboratories, Fajara, Banjul, West Africa

    M. G. M. Rowland

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  1. M. G. M. Rowland
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Ford Foundation, New Delhi, India

    Lincoln C. Chen

  2. Massachustts Institute of Technology, USA

    Nevin S. Scrimshaw (Institute Professor, Director, Senior Adviser) (Institute Professor, Director, Senior Adviser)

  3. MIT/Harvard International Food and Nutrition Program, USA

    Nevin S. Scrimshaw (Institute Professor, Director, Senior Adviser) (Institute Professor, Director, Senior Adviser)

  4. World Hunger Program, United Nations University, USA

    Nevin S. Scrimshaw (Institute Professor, Director, Senior Adviser) (Institute Professor, Director, Senior Adviser)

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© 1983 The United Nations University

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Rowland, M.G.M. (1983). Epidemiology of Childhood Diarrhea in The Gambia. In: Chen, L.C., Scrimshaw, N.S. (eds) Diarrhea and Malnutrition. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-9284-6_5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4615-9284-6_5

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4615-9286-0

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4615-9284-6

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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