Effects of early disease on later growth, and early growth on later disease, in Khartoum infants

Longitudinal data of monthly length and weight measurements, and fortnightly infectious disease records of 167 infants in Khartoum townships, have been examined to determine: (1) whether disease experience in the first 6 months of life is related to growth in the second 6 months and (2) whether growth in the first period is related to disease experience in the second. Using regression techniques to allow for disease measure correlations in the two periods and other environmental factors that are associated with growth and disease, it is concluded that both length and especially weight growth are affected adversely by previous illness. On the other hand there is almost no evidence that early growth is associated with later disease susceptibility.