[The nutritional status and growth in the first two years of life in Yaounde (author's transl)].

A longitudinal study has been performed in 63 children in Yaounde to assess the significance of moderate malnutrition which is often observed between the ages of 18-24 months. The children were divided into two groups on bases of anthropometric measurements at the age of two years: group I were normal infants and group II, children with moderate malnutrition. Group II children had: 1) lower birth weight; 2) a weight gain between 0 and 8 months equal to the standard but lower than group I; 3) A weight gain between 8 and 23 months much lower than the standard and group I. Weight at 23 months was related to birth weight and all the anthropometric measurements were more closely related to the weight gain between 0 and 8 months than to the weight gain between 8 and 23 months. There were no significant biochemical differences between the two groups but there was a significant correlation between the weight gain between 8 and 23 months and the transferrin, C3 and the hydroxyproline index. It appears that the birth weight and weight gain in early months of life could be used as indicators of the future nutritional status.