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Seasonal changes and the physical development of young Serere children in Senegal
1Unité de Recherches U 292, Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale.
Insights
Seasonal variations significantly impact child growth in Senegal. Weight and height velocities fluctuate, with a critical vulnerability period identified between 6 and 24 months for Serere infants.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Human Growth and Development
- Anthropometry
Background:
- Childhood growth is influenced by environmental factors, including seasonal variations in resource availability.
- Understanding anthropometric changes in young children is crucial for assessing nutritional status and health outcomes.
- The Serere people of Senegal provide a unique population for studying growth patterns in a West African context.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate seasonal variations in anthropometric measurements (height, weight, body composition) in young children.
- To identify age-specific growth patterns and potential critical periods for vulnerability.
- To compare growth velocities between seasons and with reference populations.
Main Methods:
- Longitudinal study of 40 families with children under 5 years old in Senegal (1981-1982).
- Bi-annual data collection (dry and rainy seasons) including height, weight, and body composition measures (bone diameters, skinfold thicknesses).
- Analysis of seasonal and age-related variations in growth parameters and velocities.
Main Results:
- All anthropometric measures showed significant seasonal variation; no sex differences were observed.
- Bone diameters increased with age, while subcutaneous fat decreased, compensated by muscle mass increase.
- Height and weight velocities exhibited seasonal fluctuations, with notable differences between the 1981 rainy season and 1982 dry season, indicating a critical vulnerability period between 6-24 months.
Conclusions:
- Seasonal factors profoundly affect child growth and development in the studied population.
- The period between 6 and 24 months represents a critical window of vulnerability for Serere infants.
- Monitoring anthropometric indicators seasonally is essential for timely nutritional interventions in vulnerable populations.
Abstract:
Children under 5-years old from a random sample of 40 families of the Serere people in Senegal were studied for two years, in 1981 and 1982. Two visits took place each year, one in the dry season, one in the rainy season. On each visit, height and weight were measured for all children. For children aged over two years, measures of biacromial and bi-iliocristal diameter, and biceps, triceps and subscapular skinfold thicknesses were also taken. Significant variation was found for all measures according to season. There were no significant differences between boys and girls. There were increases in the measures of biacromial and bi-iliocristal diameter with age. Decreases with age in sub-cutaneous fat levels were compensated by a slight increase in muscle mass. Both height and weight velocities show seasonal variation, but the changes are not synchronised. Weight velocity was very low during the 1981 rainy season, whilst height velocity at the same period was comparable with that of English children. During the 1982 dry season, weight velocity was similar to that for European children, whilst height velocity for Serere children less than 3 years old was substantially reduced. Mean levels for each age group, together with the difference between observed and expected values of Quetelet's index show the effect of the 1981 rainy season on all children. These data also reveal the existence of a critical period between 6 and 24 months of age when Serere infants are particularly vulnerable.
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