Growth and nutrition patterns of infants associated with a nutrition education and supplementation programme in Gaza, 1987-92.

Since 1986, the 28 government community health centres providing primary care in Gaza have paid special attention to growth monitoring, nutrition education, and routine vitamin and iron supplementation in infancy. In 1987-88, 1989 and 1992, respectively, the nursing staff in five of these centres monitored the growth and feeding patterns of 2222, 1899, and 1012 children aged up to 15 months. The growth measures of children aged up to 6 months were similar to standard growth charts, but subsequently deficiencies developed in the study children. There were no differences between the patterns for males and females. Infants from upper socioeconomic categories had growth patterns that were closest to the norm, but this was associated with feeding and supplementation differences. There was improvement in the growth and feeding patterns of the 1989 and 1990-92 birth cohorts compared with the 1987-88 group and with the standard. Feeding patterns showed high levels of compliance with nutrition guidance. Growth monitoring, staff and maternal education, and supplementation with vitamins and, especially, iron were associated with marked improvements in feeding patterns and the growth status of children aged 3-15 months.