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Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
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Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study

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Growth and body composition of Peruvian infants in a periurban setting

Lora L Iannotti1, Nelly Zavaleta, Zulema León

  • 1International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), Washington, DC, USA.

Food and Nutrition Bulletin
|November 26, 2009
PubMed

Insights

Peruvian infants showed lower stunting rates than expected, with growth influenced by factors like age, sex, birth measurements, breastfeeding, and maternal origin altitude.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Growth and Development
  • Human Nutrition
  • Anthropometry

Background:

  • Previous Peruvian child growth studies indicated high stunting rates.
  • Limited data existed on Peruvian infant body composition.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Characterize anthropometric measures in Peruvian infants (0-12 months).
  • Compare infant measures against international growth references.
  • Identify biological, environmental, and socioeconomic influences on infant growth.

Main Methods:

  • Longitudinal study of 232 infants in Lima, Peru (1995-1997).
  • Collected anthropometric data from mothers and infants from birth to 12 months.
  • Conducted weekly morbidity and dietary intake surveillance during the second half of infancy.

Main Results:

  • Stunting, underweight, and wasting prevalence were below 4% using WHO growth references.
  • Infants of mothers from high-altitude regions exhibited larger chest circumference and length.
  • Key growth predictors included age, sex, birth anthropometry, breastfeeding, maternal factors, primiparity, diarrhea prevalence, and maternal region altitude.
  • Maternal education, asset ownership, sanitation, and hygiene were not associated with growth.

Conclusions:

  • Peruvian infants in this urban cohort demonstrated lower-than-anticipated stunting rates.
  • Proximal and familial factors significantly impacted infant growth throughout the first year.
Abstract

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