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Nutritional status following malaria control in a Vietnamese ethnic minority commune

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition volume 59, pages 891–899 (2005)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective:

To study whether control of malaria leads to catch-up growth or an increase of obesity in a marginally nourished population.

Setting:

A Vietnamese ethnic minority commune in southern Vietnam.

Design:

Repeated annual anthropometric surveys were performed from 1995 to 2000. Z-scores for height, weight and BMI for age and weight-for-height were determined by using NCHS 1978 and CDC 2000 reference tables and by the LMS method.

Intervention:

Active malaria control that reduced the parasite carrier rate from 50% in 1994 to practically nil in 1998.

Results:

Inhabitants were generally of short stature and very thin. Using the US reference tables, the prevalence of moderate/severe stunting among children was 53/24% and of wasting 27/9% in the first survey in 1995. Physical condition and normal daily activities of most inhabitants were normal. The repeated LMS-Z-scores uncovered a significant recovery of stunting, extending into preadolescence, including the development of a pubertal growth spurt for girls and enhancement of pubertal growth in boys, after control of malaria. The mean (95% CI) annual increase of Z-height-for-age was 0.11 (0.09–0.12) for boys and 0.14 (0.13–0.15) for girls (P<0.001). As a consequence, weight-for-age and BMI Z-scores decreased without indication of developing obesity.

Conclusion:

Catch-up growth, extending into preadolescent age, was observed in a Vietnamese ethnic minority population with a chronic state of low food intake, without indication of developing obesity. The control of malaria was probably the most significant contribution to this catch-up growth.

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Acknowledgements

Our gratitude goes to the population of Phan Tien, who participated so selflessly throughout the study period. We thank the staff of the Binh Thuan Provincial Health Service and of Phan Tien Health-post for their help in the study. This study started as part of a research programme funded by the Dutch Ministry of Development Cooperation. There are no personal or financial relationships between the researchers and the sponsor.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Infectious Diseases, Tropical Medicine & AIDS, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, The Netherlands

    L Q Hung, P J de Vries, P T Giao & P A Kager

  2. Department of Tropical Diseases, Cho Ray Hospital, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

    L Q Hung, P T Giao & T Q Binh

  3. Center for Malaria & Goitre Control, Phan Thiet, Binh Thuan Province, Vietnam

    N V Nam

  4. Bac Binh District Health Center, Cho Lau, Bac Binh District, Binh Thuan Province, Vietnam

    M T Chong

Authors
  1. L Q Hung
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  2. P J de Vries
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  3. P T Giao
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  4. T Q Binh
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  5. N V Nam
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  6. M T Chong
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  7. P A Kager
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to P J de Vries.

Additional information

Guarantor: LQ Hung.

Contributors: LQH, PJdV, TQB, PTG, NVN, MTC and PAK participated in the field surveys, examined the people and collected data that were entered and analysed by LQH and PJdV. LQH, PTG, TQB, NVN and MTC were responsible for continued monitoring of the studies, regular visits in between surveys, discussions and quality control. PAK, PJdV and TQB were involved in study design and writing the paper was mainly done by LQH and PJdV with contributions from PAK, TQB, PTG, NVN and MTC.

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Hung, L., de Vries, P., Giao, P. et al. Nutritional status following malaria control in a Vietnamese ethnic minority commune. Eur J Clin Nutr 59, 891–899 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602156

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ejcn.1602156

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