Patterns of growth in weight among infants in a rural Western Samoa village

Abstract

The growth records of 55 infants from the village of Sale'a'aumua, Western Samoa, have been analyzed to describe patterns of growth in weight from birth to oneyear of age. This group of infants is unusual in that they are living in a lesser developed setting, but they also have mothers with substantial energy stores. The Samoan children equal or exceed the NCHS 50th percentile of weight up to the age of nine months, after which time they average on or below the NCHS median. Rates of weight gain of the Samoan infants during the first semester of life are high relative to other developing nations and also relative to developed countries. After the first semester of life, the Samoan velocities generally fall below U.S. values. The decrease in weight gain velocities is most pronounced among the Samoan boys after nine months of age. These results are similar to those found in a 1952 survey of children in American Samoa and reflect a first semester pattern of growth that is similar to or greater than that found...