Nutritional surveillance using weight for age in the Southern Highlands Province, Papua New Guinea

The nutritional status of Southern Highlands children aged 0-5 years is described in terms of weight for age for 1974-75 and 1978. No significant change in the proportion of children less than 80% mean weight for age was found, although an increase in children severely malnourished (< 60%) was noted. Differences between populations living at differing altitude and in differing language groups are also described.