Related Experiment Videos
Underweight - a nutritional risk?
Insights
Childhood growth in South Africa shows improvements in weight-for-age and height, particularly among Black children, despite no dietary interventions. These findings highlight the importance of monitoring both weight and height for assessing child development.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Nutrition
- Anthropometry
- Public Health
Background:
- Weight-for-age and height studies are crucial for assessing child growth and nutritional status.
- South African children, especially preschool and school-aged populations, have historically faced challenges with underweight conditions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze trends in weight-for-age and mean weight and height among South African children.
- To identify changes in the incidence of underweight and growth patterns over time.
- To evaluate the impact of potential factors on child growth, excluding direct dietary interventions.
Main Methods:
- Utilized weight-for-age data based on Harvard standards.
- Analyzed mean weight and height measurements across different age groups and ethnicities (White and Black children).
- Compared growth profiles and incidence of underweight over time, noting specific demographic variations.
Main Results:
- 25% of preschool children and 50-75% of young non-White school-children were underweight for age.
- Underweight incidence peaked at 12 years and declined by 17 years without dietary intervention.
- Black children showed a decrease in underweight incidence, though it remains high, alongside significant increases in mean weight and height, especially in rural groups.
- White children exhibited similar underweight profiles but at lower incidences, with some preschool groups experiencing height decreases.
Conclusions:
- Despite the absence of dietary interventions, a notable decrease in underweight-for-age and increases in mean weight and height were observed over a short period.
- Growth assessment should consider both height and weight to accurately determine satisfactory development in children.
- Observed improvements suggest potential underlying socioeconomic or environmental factors influencing child growth in South Africa.
Abstract:
Weight-for-age (Harvard standards) and mean weight and height studies on South African preschool and school-child populations have revealed that (i) 25% of preschool children, and 50-75% of young non-White school-children are underweight for age; (ii) the incidence of underweight-for-age rose from birth to 12 years, and fell rapidly by 17 years, without dietary intervention; (iii) White children showed similar profiles of underweight although the respective incidences were lower; (iv) there has been a fall in the incidence of underweight in Black children although it still remains high; and (v) significant increases of mean weights and heights have occurred at certain ages in Blacks, particularly rural groups, with decreases in height in some groups of White preschool children. In spite of there having been no dietary intervention, the incidence of underweight-for-age has decreased, and the mean weight and height have increased over a very short period of time. Height as well as weight shoudl be taken into consideration in assessing satisfactory growth.