Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 8, 2026

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
09:36

Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

Published on: February 2, 2017

Conclusions about differences in linear growth between Bangladeshi boys and girls depend on the growth reference used

H Moestue1, S de Pee, A Hall

  • 1Helen Keller International, Dhaka, Bangladesh. cd@hkidhaka.org

European Journal of Clinical Nutrition
|April 30, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Growth references significantly impact the assessment of sex differences in height-for-age z-scores and stunting in Bangladeshi children. Findings highlight the need for careful interpretation of anthropometric data, especially when examining gender inequality.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Nutrition
  • Growth Monitoring
  • Anthropometry

Background:

  • Accurate assessment of child growth is crucial for public health interventions.
  • Previous studies have shown varying results in sex differences in child growth.
  • The choice of growth reference can influence the interpretation of growth data.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate sex differences in height-for-age z-scores and stunting among Bangladeshi children.
  • To compare the impact of three different growth references (NCHS, CDC, British) on these assessments.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of data from 504,358 Bangladeshi children aged 6-59 months (1990-1999).
  • Estimation of height-for-age z-scores using the 1977 NCHS, 2000 CDC, and 1990 British growth references.
  • Examination of sex differences and growth curve patterns across the references.

Main Results:

  • Growth curve patterns and sex differences varied significantly depending on the reference used.
  • At 6 months, NCHS and CDC references indicated girls had higher z-scores than boys, while the British reference showed no difference.
  • All references indicated faster deterioration of girls' z-scores from 6 to 24 months, with varying magnitudes of sex differences.

Conclusions:

  • The assessment of sex differences in linear growth is highly dependent on the chosen growth reference.
  • Further research is needed to understand the reasons for these discrepancies and inform the development of international growth references.
  • Anthropometric data used to study gender inequality should be interpreted with caution due to reference-dependent variations.
Abstract

More Related Videos

Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts07:56

Scanning Skeletal Remains for Bone Mineral Density in Forensic Contexts

Published on: January 29, 2018

Midface Hypoplasia and Cranial Base Morphology in Syndromic Craniosynostosis: A Comparative Analysis Study Using a Predictive Regression Model08:03

Midface Hypoplasia and Cranial Base Morphology in Syndromic Craniosynostosis: A Comparative Analysis Study Using a Predictive Regression Model

Published on: November 4, 2025

Related Concept Videos

Nature and Nurture01:10

Nature and Nurture

Many human characteristics, like height, are shaped by both nature—in other words, by our genes—and by nurture, or our environment. For example, chronic stress during childhood inhibits the production of growth hormones and consequently reduces bone growth and height. Scientists estimate that 70-90% of variation in height is due to genetic differences among individuals, and 10-30% of variation in height is due to differences in the environments that individuals experience, such as differences...
Population Growth00:57

Population Growth

Population size is dynamic, increasing with birth rates and immigration, and decreasing with death rates and emigration. In ideal conditions with unlimited resources, populations can increase exponentially, which plots as a J-shaped growth rate curve of population size against time. This type of curve is characteristic of newly-introduced invasive species, or populations that have suffered catastrophic declines and are rebounding.However, realistic environmental conditions limit the number of...
Variation: Normal Distribution, Range, and Standard Deviation02:32

Variation: Normal Distribution, Range, and Standard Deviation

In the field of psychology, there are several ways to organize measurements of a trait, feature, or characteristic (i.e., variables). Qualitative data, such as ethnicity, can be tabulated into a frequency count to provide information about the proportion, as well as the variety of groups in a sample or population. On the other hand, researchers can perform a wider set of calculations on quantitative data. The mean, mode, and median, for instance, are central tendency measures to identify a...
Socioemotional Experience and Gender Development01:30

Socioemotional Experience and Gender Development

Social-emotional experiences and cultural influences play significant roles in shaping gender development. During middle childhood, from ages 6 to 11, peer groups become dominant in reinforcing gender norms. Children in this age group often align with same-gender peer groups, which actively encourage behaviors that conform to traditional gender roles. For instance, boys may be discouraged from engaging in activities perceived as feminine, reinforcing culturally dictated norms about masculinity...
Exponential Equations for Modeling Growth01:26

Exponential Equations for Modeling Growth

Exponential models are essential for describing rapid, multiplicative changes in natural systems, such as population growth. When a population doubles at regular intervals, the process can be modeled using a suitable base. For instance, a bacterial culture that doubles every three hours follows the model n(t)=n0⋅2t/3, where n(t) is the population at the time t.A more general model uses the natural base e, especially for continuous growth. This takes the form n(t)=n0⋅ert, where r is the relative...
Rate of Change: Problem Solving01:26

Rate of Change: Problem Solving

Temperature-Dependent Growth of Brook TroutThe growth of brook trout is closely influenced by water temperature. Experimental data demonstrate how trout weight changes over a 24-day period in response to varying water temperatures. At lower temperatures, such as 15.5 degrees Celsius, brook trout show significant weight gain. However, as the temperature increases, the amount of weight gained steadily decreases. At the highest temperature measured, 24.4 degrees Celsius, trout experience a net...