Growth patterns of highland children and some possible implications for assessment of nutritional status

Cross-sectional height and weight data from children under 5 years of age at three locations in the highlands of Papua New Guinea are analysed. The proportion of children under 90% height for age increases rapidly with age. The proportion of children under 80% weight for height is much lower at ages and peaks in the second year of life. Thus, the increase with age in the proportion of children below 80% weight for age is primarily due to a progressive increase in the height deficit. The implications of this growth pattern for monitoring nutritional status will not be clear until the relative health significance of a deficit in height as compared to a deficit in weight for height has been determined.