Growth and proportionality in early childhood II. Some population differences

Abstract

The postnatal growth patterns of children in four different populations are compared with a sample born and brought up in Oxford. Three indices of proportionality were investigated. Among the three caucasian groups Swedish children had the smallest heads and tallest stature, resulting in particularly low head-chest and head-stature ratios. Denver children had unusually small chests from 2 years onwards; their head-chest ratios were significantly higher than those in Oxford, but head-stature and chest-stature ratios were lower. Japanese children were smaller than Oxford children in all dimensions; but apart from some minor fluctuations they were similar in shape by all three indices used. Guatemalan children of both sexes had extremely high chest-stature ratios from 3 years onwards. Head-stature ratios were also raised, but to a lesser extent. Compared with children in more highly-favoured communities their stature and head circumference were reduced more than weight and chest circumference.