Written by an international group of noted physicians and scientists, this volume reviews current concepts on the relationship between nutrition and childhood growth and discusses the effectiveness of nutrition intervention programs in preventing growth failure. The contributors present new reference data for the assessment of infant and child growth, examine the causes and functional consequences of inadequate growth, and evaluate various public health approaches to improving childhood nutrition. Full consideration is also given to the impact of the nutrition transition in developing countries and the risk of obesity resulting from altered diet and physical activity patterns.