Relationship of vegetarianism to child growth in South India

The effect on children's growth of vegetarianism and food expenditure were tested in a sample of 627 children from three fishing communities in Madras, South India. A number of variables known to affect health and nutritional status were controlled in analyses using a two-stage general linear model technique. Using weight- and height-for-age variables as outcome, vegetarianism was a significant determinant (p = 0.02 and p = 0.05, respectively) for children greater than 3 yr of age, after controlling for per capita food expenditure which was insignificant at all ages. Possible explanations for this finding are discussed at length. Specific recommendations for future study are made to elucidate the relationship seen in these data.