Four decades of socio-economic inequality and secular change in the physical growth of Guatemalans.
Public Health Nutr
; 23(8): 1381-1391, 2020 06.
Article
in En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-31801643
ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE:
To investigate changes in socio-economic inequalities in growth in height, weight, BMI and grip strength in children born during 1955-1993 in Guatemala, a period of marked socio-economic-political change.DESIGN:
We modelled longitudinal data on height, weight, BMI and hand grip strength using Super-Imposition by Translation and Rotation (SITAR). Internal Z-scores summarising growth size, timing and intensity (peak growth velocity, e.g. cm/year) were created to investigate inequalities by socio-economic position (SEP; measured by school attended). Interactions of SEP with date of birth were investigated to capture secular changes in inequalities.SETTING:
Urban and peri-urban schools in the region of Guatemala City, Guatemala.PARTICIPANTS:
Participants were 40 484 children and adolescents aged 3-19 years of Ladino and Maya ancestry (nobservations 157 067).RESULTS:
The difference in height (SITAR size) between lowest and highest SEP decreased from -2·0 (95 % CI -2·2, -1·9) sd to -1·4 (95 % CI -1·5, -1·3) sd in males, and from -2·0 (95 % CI -2·1, -1·9) sd to -1·2 (95 % CI -1·3, -1·2) sd in females over the study period. Inequalities also reduced for weight, BMI and grip strength, due to greater secular increases in lowest-SEP groups. The puberty period was earlier and shorter in higher-SEP individuals (earlier SITAR timing and higher SITAR intensity). All SEP groups showed increases in BMI intensity over time.CONCLUSIONS:
Inequality narrowed between the 1960s and 1990s. The lowest-SEP groups were still >1 sd shorter than the highest. Risks remain for reduced human capital and poorer population health for urban Guatemalans.Key words
Full text:
1
Collection:
01-internacional
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Socioeconomic Factors
/
Body Height
/
Body Weight
Type of study:
Health_economic_evaluation
/
Observational_studies
/
Prognostic_studies
/
Risk_factors_studies
Aspects:
Determinantes_sociais_saude
Limits:
Adolescent
/
Adult
/
Child
/
Child, preschool
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
Country/Region as subject:
America central
/
Guatemala
Language:
En
Journal:
Public Health Nutr
Journal subject:
CIENCIAS DA NUTRICAO
/
SAUDE PUBLICA
Year:
2020
Document type:
Article
Affiliation country:
United kingdom