Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 1, 2026
Breast Milk Enhances Growth of Enteroids: An Ex Vivo Model of Cell Proliferation
Published on: February 15, 2018
[Growth pattern of Tibetan infants: one-year follow-up study after birth in rural Tibet]
Weihua Wang1, Xiaojing Fan1, Ruru Liu2
1Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Faculty of Public Health, School of Medicine, Xi'an Jiaotong University, Xi'an 710061, China.
Insights
Tibetan infants exhibit a unique growth pattern, with higher ponderal index (PI) suggesting a more robust body composition. This finding challenges previous assumptions of poor development in Tibetan children.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Anthropology
- Public Health
Context:
- Rural Tibetan children's growth is understudied.
- Understanding ethnic-specific growth patterns is crucial for accurate health assessments.
- Previous research suggested poor development in Tibetan children.
Purpose:
- To investigate the growth patterns of rural Tibetan infants during their first year of life.
- To compare Tibetan infant growth with WHO and Chinese national standards.
- To analyze factors influencing infant growth, including birth weight and gender.
Summary:
- Birth weight and length significantly impact infant growth.
- Tibetan male infants showed lower weight and length compared to WHO and Chinese standards, with the gap widening over time.
- Tibetan female infants' growth gap narrowed by 6 months, and Tibetan infants generally had a higher ponderal index (PI), indicating denser body mass.
Impact:
- Tibetan infants may possess distinct growth characteristics, including a higher PI.
- Findings challenge the generalized conclusion of poor growth and development in Tibetan children.
- Highlights the need for ethnicity-specific growth references.
Objective:
To investigate the growth pattern of rural Tibetan children in the first year after birth.
Methods:
In rural area of Lhasa, Tibet, 252 subjects were recruited and their weight, length were measured longitudinally from birth to 12th months of age. Frequency of monitoring reached 5 times in total and Ponderal index (PI)was calculated for each visit. Mixed model was used to analyze the changes of length and weight by gender after controlling for birth weight.
Results:
Birth weight and length showed great influence on children's growth (weight: β = -0.681 9, P < 0.000 1, length: β = -0.957 1, P < 0.000 1). Weight and length of Tibetan male infants at each age point were lower than WHO new standard on growth and the Reference from 2005 National Survey on growth of children in China. The gap seemed widened by time but the gap between Tibetan female infants and Chinese standard narrowed 6 months after birth. Data showed that the higher PI of Tibetan infants than that of other Chinese infants which might infer that Tibetan infants had a more solid body mass under their own height.
Conclusion:
The growth pattern of Tibetan infants might have its own feature. Tibetan infants appeared to have had higher PI, which was contradictory to the general conclusion that poor growth and development status had been seen in Tibetan children.
Related Concept Videos
00:57Population Growth
01:30Development of Human Microbiota
02:20Longitudinal Research