Undernutrition, as manifested by underweight, wasting and stunting, has been identified as a major problem affecting about 200 million children under the age of 5 years in developing countries.1 Undernutrition in mild, moderate and severe forms can have significant and long-lasting consequences on the health of children. The reduction of underweight children is a key indicator of the first Millennium Development Goal (MDG),2 which aims to reduce poverty and hunger between 1990 and 2015.