A simple questionnaire on social conditions was completed by the resident at the time of admission of each child aged 3–47 months to a hospital in Jordan throughout a 12-month period. Although all patients came from the low socio-economic classes it was possible to make comparisons between a control group and two malnourished groups. Factors related to economics, education and hygiene appeared to play a greater part than purely dietary factors in determining whether or not a particular child became malnourished. Early introduction of the bottle and early weaning were especially associated with the onset of the marasmic type of P-CM. The dietary pattern of those that developed the kwashiorkor type of P-CM could not be shown to differ significantly from that of a control group.