Growth of South African Indian schoolchildren in different social classes

The height and weight of 4594 Indian schoolchildren aged 6 to 17 years, in Durban, South Africa, were measured at schools selected by inspectors as representative of upper, intermediate, and lower socio-economic populations. Significant superiority, anthropometrically, prevailed at all ages in upper compared with lower or poor-class children, but tended to lessen at 17 years. In the affluent group, in the age period studied the proportions under the 5th percentile of USA NCHS reference values were--concerning height-for-age 4.7% to 22.0% of boys and 5.0% to 20.7% of girls; and concerning weight-for-age, 20.3% to 45.0% of boys and 9.3% to 37.7% of girls. In the affluent group, at full growth at 17 years, means of height and weight were highly significantly lower, namely, roughly by 7cm and 10kg, compared with respective mean values given in USA reference values. Hence, in Indian schoolchildren a genetic factor, and not dietary inadequacy, appears primarily responsible for both slower post-pubertal growth and lower ultimate height attainment.