Early childhood height is a determinant of young adult stature in rural Nepal.
BMC Public Health
; 24(1): 2046, 2024 Jul 30.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-39080560
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Does preschool height predict adult stature in undernourished settings? The extent to which preschool length or height forecasts young adult stature is unclear in chronically undernourished populations.METHODS:
In 2006-8, we assessed height in a cohort of 2074 young adults, aged 16-23 years, in rural Nepal who, as preschoolers (≤ 4 year), were measured at baseline and again 16 months later during a vitamin A supplementation trial in 1989-91. We assessed by linear regression the ability of preschool length (L, measured < 24 mo) or height (Ht, 24-59 mo), at each year of age to predict 16-23 year old height, adjusted for month of young adult age, interval duration (in months), caste, preschool weight-for-height z-score and, in young women, time since menarche, marriage status and pregnancy history.RESULTS:
Young women were a mean of 0.81, 1.11, 0.82, 0.24, 0.44 cm taller (all p < 0.01) and young men, 0.84, 1.18, 0.74, 0.64 and 0.48 cm taller (all p < 0.001) per cm of attained L/Ht at each successive preschool year of age and, overall, were 2.04 and 2.40 cm taller for each unit increase in preschool L/Ht z-score (L/HAZ) (both p < 0.001). Coefficients were generally larger for 16-month follow-up measurements. The percent of young adult height attained by children with normal L/HAZ (>-1) increased from 38-40% mid-infancy to â¼ 69-74% by 6 years of age. By 3-6 years of age heights of stunted children (L/HAZ<-2) were consistently â¼ 4-7% lower in their young adult height versus normal statured children. There was no effect of preschool vitamin A receipt.CONCLUSIONS:
Shorter young children become shorter adults but predictive effects can vary by sex, age assessed, and may be influenced by year or season of measurement.Palabras clave
Texto completo:
1
Banco de datos:
MEDLINE
Asunto principal:
Población Rural
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Estatura
Límite:
Adolescent
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Adult
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Child, preschool
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Female
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Humans
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Infant
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Male
País/Región como asunto:
Asia
Idioma:
En
Revista:
BMC Public Health
Asunto de la revista:
SAUDE PUBLICA
Año:
2024
Tipo del documento:
Article
País de afiliación:
Estados Unidos