Abstract

PIP: Four studies conducted between 1979 and 1986 showed that girls 10-15 years old had growth deficiencies. About 50-66% of girls in the study samples were either wasted, stunted, or both wasted and stunted, based on Waterlow's classification. Girls also showed weight-for-height deficits. Greater deficits were apparent for weight-for-age measures than for height-for-age measures. Over 66% of girls had weights below 75% of the standards. Over 33% had heights below 90% of the standards. An Indian Council of Medical Research study published in 1972 indicated that girls from lower socioeconomic groups and 10-18 years old gained an average of 17.7 kg of weight compared to the NCHS standard of 25.4kg. Weight was lower than the standard for girls even in the high-income group. Height deficits were not as great. A National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau reported in 1981 that low-income group adolescents had height, weight, and growth rates about 70-80% those of high-income adolescents. Studies in 1985 by Tripathi and in 1976 by Chadha reported similar findings. These studies also reported that girls from low-income groups had delayed menarche and maturation of breast and genitalia. A Government of India report in 1988 indicated that a girl's growth spurt was arrested and full physical maturation was prevented due to repeated adolescent pregnancies. Rohde in 1986 reported that about 50% of first borns to adolescent girls were low birth weight infants. Some evidence has been presented by Gopalan and Srikantia that adolescent girls catch up on their growth, particularly rural girls. Hyderabad found that girls with severely stunted growth showed larger height increases at 18 years than girls with moderate or normal growth retardation. Studies have shown that short girls menstruate later than tall girls and low income girls have later ages of menarche. Studies have indicated that about 25-50% of adolescent girls had ocular signs of vitamin A deficiency: conjunctival xerosis and Bitot spots. About 60% of adolescent girls were anemic. Caloric intake deficiencies were most prominent at ages 1-3 and 15-20 years. One suggestion was to compensate for deficiencies in pre-adolescence with 60 mg of iron for 60 days two times a year and with vitamin A.