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Regional variation in weight-for-height z-scores and surface area/body mass ratio of Chilean children from birth to 3 years of age.

Accepted version
Peer-reviewed

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Type

Article

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Authors

Mascie-Taylor, CG Nicholas 

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: The objectives of the study were to see how much of the variation in weight-for-height z-scores (WHZ) and surface area/body mass ratio (SA/mass) were associated with regional (county) differences including mean temperature. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Longitudinal data were obtained from routine medical check-ups on 8,373 children from nine counties across Chile. WHZ and SA/mass were calculated from weight and height from birth to 3-years old at 6 monthly intervals. County of birth was used as an independent variable after controlling for sociodemographic factors. Sequential repeated-measures ANOVAs were used to analyze the changes in WHZ and SA/mass over the seven measurements from birth to 3 years of age. Simple and partial Pearson correlations were calculated between WHZ and annual mean temperature and between SA/mass and annual mean temperature after controlling for socioeconomic factors. RESULTS: County of birth was significantly (p < 0.001) associated with both WHZ and SA/mass. There was a progressive decrease in WHZ means and a progressive increase in SA/mass means from colder to warmer counties. Significant negative correlation in WHZ (r < -0.864) and significant positive correlations in SA/mass (r > 0.821) were found with the annual mean temperature from 18 months of age onwards and in the overall mean age. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that WHZ and SA/mass variation may be influenced by ecogeographical factors in this Chilean sample.

Description

Keywords

Chile, childhood, infancy, nutritional status, regional variation, Anthropology, Physical, Anthropometry, Body Height, Body Surface Area, Body Weight, Child, Preschool, Chile, Female, Growth Charts, Humans, Infant, Infant, Newborn, Male, Nutritional Status

Journal Title

Am J Phys Anthropol

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

0002-9483
1096-8644

Volume Title

167

Publisher

Wiley