Objective: To assess the effects of iron and deworming on linear growth performance of preschoolers. Design: Three-month randomized, double-blind and placebo-controlled trial. The children were allocated to four treatments: iron (60 mg elemental ironaday) albendazole (200 mgaday for 3 consecutive days, repeated 1 month later), iron albendazole-placebo, albendazole iron-placebo or placebos. The supplementation was supervised. Subjects: A group of 177 children aged 3 ± 5 y was selected from low-income households in a rural area in southern Be Ânin. A complete data set was analysed for 140 subjects. Many children were stunted (58% had heightfor-age Z-score`72), none were wasted (2% had weight-for-height Z-score`72) and 76% were anemic (Hb`110 gal). Main outcome measures: Anthropometric parameters, hemoglobin and eggs per gram feces. Results: No signi®cant difference in changes in anthropometric parameters was observed between study groups, and also not in a sub-sample of stunted and anemic subjects. Changes in hemoglobin were highest in the irontreated subjects at the end of the 3-month intervention period (P 0.032). The difference between the iron and the placebo groups remained signi®cant even 7 months later (P 0.022). The difference was 5 gal in both periods. Ascaris lumbricoides and hookworm infections decreased signi®cantly in albendazole-treated subjects (P`0.05). Conclusions: In addition to recurrent parasitic infection burden, the children may have multiple micronutrient de®ciencies. Therefore, it may be interesting to study appetite and food intake of young toddlers in relation to health and linear growth performance in poor environments.

This study was performed on 34 female farmers in northern Benin during 2 consecutive years. Body composition, energy intake, energy expenditure, resting metabolic rate (RMR), and energy cost of cycling on a bicycle were measured in three periods per year. Energy intake showed seasonal fluctuations of approximately 1.7 MJ/d in 1990 and 0.6 MJ/d in 1991. Body weight fluctuated between periods, with the lowest weight in preharvest periods. Observed changes in body weight were 2.6 +/- 2.3 and 0.9 +/- 1.7 kg in 1990 and 1991, respectively. The same pattern was observed in both fat mass and fat-free mass. RMR, energy cost of cycling, and delta work efficiency did not show any seasonal changes. It is concluded that metabolic adaptation, as a response to a seasonal food shortage up to 15% of average daily intake, will not occur.