Physical growth in Indian affluent children (birth-6 years)

Abstract

Growth characteristics, viz, height, weight and circumferences of head, chest and mid-arm were measured on urban affluent children from seven centres (Bangalore, Calcutta, Delhi, Kota, Ludhiana and Varanasi--Nutrition Foundation of India study). On each age and sex point there were 200 observations except at 18 and 72 months. The percentiles on pooled data were calculated by smoothed cubic spline least square method. This pooled data showed values lower than European and NCHS (American) standards. Centrewise comparison showed that Ludhiana children approached the latter. The differences in growth seem to be possibly due to lower velocity in Indian children of present study in the first 18 months as compared to American children.