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Growth patterns of school-children in Bahrain.

A O Musaiger¹, W B Gregory, J D Haas

¹Nutrition Unit, Ministry of Health, Bahrain.

Annals of Human Biology

|March 1, 1989

Summary

Bahraini school children exhibit lower height and weight compared to North American standards. Skinfold measurements suggest high subcutaneous fat, potentially indicating underdeveloped muscles in children.

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Area of Science:

Pediatric Endocrinology
Human Growth and Development
Public Health Nutrition

Background:

Assessing physical growth is crucial for monitoring child health and development.
Establishing anthropometric reference data specific to regional populations is essential for accurate growth assessment.
Previous studies highlight variations in growth patterns across different ethnic and geographic groups.

Purpose of the Study:

To evaluate the physical growth patterns of school-aged children in Bahrain.
To compare anthropometric measurements of Bahraini children with established North American reference standards.
To identify potential factors influencing the growth of Bahraini children.

Main Methods:

A cross-sectional study was conducted in 1986 involving 1593 Bahraini children (6.5-18.5 years).
Standard anthropometric measurements were collected, including height, weight, mid-arm circumference, and various skinfold thicknesses (triceps, biceps, subscapular, suprailiac).
Data were analyzed and compared against the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) reference data.

Main Results:

Median heights and weights for both Bahraini boys and girls were below the 50th percentile of the NCHS reference standard.
Bahraini children's median heights fell between the 5th and 25th percentiles.
While median triceps skinfold was between the 25th and 50th percentiles, median arm circumference was near the 5th percentile, suggesting high subcutaneous fat and potentially low muscle mass.

Conclusions:

Bahraini school children demonstrate significantly lower height and weight compared to North American reference standards.
Anthropometric data indicate a body composition characterized by high subcutaneous fat stores, potentially linked to reduced muscle development.
Further investigation into health, genetic, and environmental factors is warranted to understand these growth patterns.

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