Growth performance of well-to-do Hyderabad children--a follow-up study
Vijayaraghavan, K.; Sastry, J.G.; Jindal, I.B.
Indian Journal of Medical Research 62(1): 117-124
1974
ISSN/ISBN: 0019-5340 PMID: 4442945 Document Number: 79626
In 1972, boys at school in Hyderabad whose heights and weights had been taken in 1968 were remeasured and reweighed. All the 327 boys were of high socioeconomic status and their ages in 1968 ranged from 3 to 13 years. Mean heights and weights were not different between 1968 and 1972 for corresponding age groups. Increments in height and weight over the 4 years were not significantly different from those of 50th percentile values of American children for the corresponding period. More than 85% of the children maintained the normal growth pattern or showed improvement in relation to American percentile values. The percentage of children shifting into a lower percentile group with respect to height and weight was greatest for children of 6 years or less in 1968. The percentage of children moving into a higher group was greatest in children of 7 or more in 1968. The regression coefficient of weight on height increased up to 16 to 17 years. A regression predicting final heights based on initial heights showed that the gap between taller and shorter children, on average, remained at the end of the 4 years. In each age group, those initially heavier put on more weight during the 4 years than their lighter counterparts.