RESUMO
PIP: Staff from a health education project in Eket village in Cross River State, Nigeria collected 1985-1986 height and weight data from at least 286 preschool children. Results from the 1 way analysis of variance tests revealed that age significantly affected mean weights for age and for height (p.01). For example, between 1 and 2 years of age the weights for age and for height fell substantially due to a decrease in breast feeding and introduction of solid foods. Similarly, birth rank significantly accounted for mean height for age (p=.01) and mean weight for age (p.01). For instance, the mean height for age and mean weight for age fell for 2nd born children. After the 2nd child, they climbed to the point where at the 6th child and greater the means were greater than for the 1st born. Number of children in the household only significantly affected mean weight for age (p=.01). A single child ranked significantly better in weight for age and weight for height than households with 2-6 children. After the 3rd child, however, a steady increase in mean percentile rank occurred with each additional child. In fact, mean percentile weight for age values of all the children in households of 7 or more children were higher than for any other household size. Observations of field staff supported the hypothesis that, in large families, the older children care and nurture the younger siblings and do not have high demands to work in the fields and maintain the households thereby accounting for the superior nutritional status for children in families of 7 or more children. Nevertheless overall nutritional status of 28% of the children were severely malnourished. Further, current nutritional status of 14% were severely malnourished. Moreover 36% ranked as chronically malnourished.^ieng