Israeli Children Research Articles

Creating Complex Borders within a Borderless World in Ephraim Sidon’s poetry book Uzu and Muzu from Kakaruzu (1987) and Renen Yezerski’s film The Invisible Enemy across the Wall: Israeli and Palestinian Children's Perspective of the Other (2015) )Borderlands and Visual Arts

In seeking political and racial authority within a borderless world or flexible borders, people and governments increase and build up political, ideological and social boundaries. The paper discusses both Ephraim Sidon’s children poetry book Uzu and Muzu from Kakaruzu (1987) and Renen Yezerski’s film The Invisible Enemy across the Wall: Israeli and Palestinian Children's Perspective of the Other (2015), and shows how borders are being enforced. The film reflects Israeli and Palestinian children’s opposing perspectives concerning the meaning and nature of borders. It also shows discrepancies of opinions between old and new generations. The paper introduces a controversial study and evaluation of contemporary Palestinian/Israeli society. Art and literature allow people to express their experiences and investigate ideas without fully commiting themselves. Only through art, the poetry collection and film, Palestinians and Israelis can live together in peace on the Palestinian land. While Israelis may seek reconciliation with Palestinians, the latter sees the former as colonizers and violators, and refuses such agreement. Besides, borders, physical or symbolic, still have many roles and functions in contemporary world. They affect people’s lives, actions and attitudes. Some borders may become softer or harder because of political transformations. Because of terrorism and political concerns, boundaries become a symbol of security, yet from the other side, they are means of oppression. The research focuses on the process of bounding and how people and groups are confined within severe economic, social and spatial restrictions.The paper discusses people’s rights within a confined society, and examines the nature of restriction and control of who should pass the border to the other side and who are not allowed. This detention process raises questions of ethics, principles and human rights. People’s loyalty and identity are questioned. Closing the borders for securitization, the prevention of suicide bombers, is against morals, since ordinary people confront serious and oppressive dislocation. Legitimate security justifies violent actions on both sides. The focus of the borders shifts from being only a physical location to be a psychological, cultural, security and an economic barrier.

Video games and close relations: Attachment and empathy as predictors of children's and adolescents' video game social play and socio-emotional functioning

This cross-sectional study examined the differential associations between attachment patterns and empathy and children's and adolescents' aggressive, prosocial and interpersonal video game play and peer relations. The sample was composed of 1391 Israeli children and adolescents, aged 9–15 who rated their recent video-game involvement in terms of violent, prosocial and interpersonal interactions. Dispositional attachment styles and empathy were measured, as well as social satisfaction, prosociality, peer support, subjective well-being, and aggressive behavior in daily life. The results confirmed the relationship between type of video game involvement, social functioning, and well-being. Prosocial and interpersonal video game play were related to greater social satisfaction, peer support, and prosocial behavior, which led to increased well-being, whereas violent video game play was related to increased school bullying, and lower social satisfaction and prosociality. Secure attachment was related to increased empathic concerns and higher levels of prosocial and interpersonal interactions in video game use. Children with attachment anxiety or avoidance engaged in significantly less prosocial video game behavior. These findings challenge the assumption that violence in video games is inevitably related to negative social consequences and points to the potential of video games to serve basic attachment and prosocial needs that can promote close relations.

Social workers’ constructions of child risk and protection in the Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community

Summary Social workers’ perceptions regarding child risk and protection tend to rely on universal criteria that may differ from the perceptions of minority groups. The Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community in Israel is a strictly religious, segregated, close-knit community with idiosyncratic values and norms that differ from those of social workers in the country. This qualitative study aimed to explore social workers’ perceptions and ascribed meanings of child risk and protection in Israel’s Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community. To this end, 30 in-depth interviews were conducted with social workers working with this community. Findings The study identified four distinct primary areas of risk and protection for children in Israel’s Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community: spirituality, collectivism, segregation, and hierarchy. Each of these areas encompasses factors of both protection and risk. Applications The study’s findings highlight the gaps between the Ultra-Orthodox Jewish community and social workers who adopt Western universal views regarding child risk and protection. This article advocates a context-informed approach when dealing with minority communities. Adopting such an approach can contribute to better cooperation between professionals and their clients from minority groups and advance the well-being of children.

Type 1 diabetes outcomes of children born in Israel of Eritrean asylum seekers.

Disparities in health outcomes in pediatric type 1 diabetes (T1D) based on race/ethnicity and socioeconomic position (SEP) have been reported. We compared T1D characteristics between Eritrean status-less children living in Israel and native-born Israeli children. This observational study compared 7 Eritrean and 28 Israeli children (< 8years old at T1D diagnosis) who were diagnosed in a single diabetes center during 2015-2019. Sociodemographic and diabetes-related data from diagnosis until the last clinic visit were retrieved from their medical files. At diagnosis, the mean age was 4.8 ± 2.2years, 17 (48.6%) had diabetic ketoacidosis with a mean HbA1c level of 10.5 ± 2.1% (91.3mmol/mol) and 29 (82.9%) had ≥ 2 pancreatic autoantibodies. The mean T1D duration of follow-up was 2.7 ± 1.4years. Overall glycemic control during follow-up (> 6months from diagnosis, mean number of samples 10.6 ± 5.2) was good, with mean, best, and peak HbA1c levels of 7.4 ± 0.8% (57.4mmol/mol), 6.7 ± 0.7% (49.7mmol/mol), and 8.1 ± 1.1% (65mmol/mol), respectively. Thirty-two children (91.4%) used continuous glucose monitoring devices (CGMs), and the mean time from diagnosis to CGM initiation was 10.8 ± 14.1months. CGM metrics: time CGM active: 95.4 ± 3.8%, mean glucose level: 170.0 ± 27.0mg/dl (9.4mmol/L), time-in-range: 56.4 ± 14.7%, time-below-range: 5.5 ± 5.7%, and time-above-range: 38.6 ± 16.1%. Diabetes-related parameters at diagnosis and during follow-up were similar between groups. Eritrean children had significantly lower SEPs (P < 0.001) and parental education levels (P < 0.001). Correlations between SEP and diabetes parameters and SEP and growth parameters were not significant. Eritrean status-less children in Israel achieved glycemic targets similar to those of Israeli children, perhaps reflecting uniformity in the standard of care and CGM usage.

Trends and socioeconomic disparities in diabetes prevalence and quality of care among Israeli children; 2011-2018

BackgroundDespite Israel’s universal health coverage, disparities in health services provision may still exist. We aimed to assess socioeconomic disparities in diabetes prevalence and quality of care among Israeli children, and to assess whether these changed over time.MethodsWe used repeated cross-sectional analyses in the setting of the National Program for Quality Indicators in Community Healthcare. The data were derived from electronic medical records from Israel’s four health maintenance organizations. The study population included all Israeli children aged 2–17 years in 2011–2018 (2018: N = 2,404,856). Socio-economic position (SEP) was measured using Central Bureau of Statistics data further updated by a private company (Points Business Mapping Ltd), and grouped into 4 categories, ranging from 1 (lowest) to 4 (highest). We used logistic regression to assess the association of SEP with diabetes prevalence, diabetes clinic visits, hemoglobin A1C (HbA1C) testing, and poor glycemic control (HbA1c > 9%), and assessed whether these changed over time.ResultsDiabetes prevalence increased with age and SEP, with a total of 3019 children with diabetes. SEP was positively associated with visiting a specialized diabetes clinic (age and sex adjusted Odds Ratio (aORSEP 4 vs. 1 2.45, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.67–3.69)). Although children in higher SEPs were less likely to undergo HbA1c testing (aORSEP 4 vs. 1 0.54, 95% CI 0.40–0.72), they were also less likely to have poor glycemic control (aORSEP 4 vs. 1 0.25, 95% CI 0.18–0.34). Disparities were especially apparent among children aged 2–9 (6.5% poor glycemic control in SEP 4 vs. 38.2% in SEP 1). Poor glycemic control decreased over time, from 44.0% in 2011 to 34.1% in 2018.ConclusionsWhile poor glycemic control rates among children have improved, they remain high compared to rates in adults. Additionally, substantial socioeconomic gaps remain. It is eminent to study the causes of these disparities and develop policies to improve care provided to children in the lower SEP levels, to promote health equity.

The Sesame-Peanut Conundrum in Israel: Reevaluation of Food Allergy Prevalence in Young Children

Food allergies (FAs) are on the rise worldwide. A previous cross-sectional study from 2002 in Israel estimated the prevalence of IgE-mediated FA among young children at 0.85%. Although sesame was found to be a common allergen, peanuts were found to be a rare allergen. To determine the prevalence and distributions of IgE-mediated FAs among young children in Israel compared with previous data. A total of 1932 young children (56% males, 44% females) with a mean age of 22.4 months (range, 18-30 months) were sequentially recruited from 15 government family health care centers in north Israel. Parents completed a questionnaire with 2 screening questions for suspected FA. Subjects with suspected FA underwent further evaluation including telephone interview, skin prick tests, and oral food challenge as needed. After analyzing the questionnaires, 146 subjects were suspected to have FA. Seventy-nine subjects were excluded by telephone interview and 13 were excluded on the basis of negative oral food challenge. We identified 54 of 1932 (2.8%) young children with 75 IgE-mediated FAs. Thirty-nine of 54 (72.2%) had allergy to 1 food and 9 (16.6%) to 2 foods. The most common food allergens were cow's milk (1%), eggs (0.88%), sesame (0.93%), tree nuts (0.57%), peanuts (0.2%), and fish (0.2%). The prevalence of IgE-mediated FA among young children in Israel has increased dramatically from 0.85% to 2.8%. The relative prevalence of the most common food allergens is similar to that identified in 2002, with a high prevalence of sesame FA and low prevalence of peanut FA.

The development of prosociality among Christian Arab children in Israel: The role of children's household religiosity and of the recipient's neediness.

We examined the development of sharing behavior of children (aged 6 to 12) within the unique, minority population of Christian Arab children in Israel (N = 319). Children had the opportunity to share candy with a needy or non-needy recipient. Parents' level of religiosity was assessed using the Duke University Religion Index questionnaire (DUREL). Results replicate previous research that focused primarily on the majority populations of the societies in question, by demonstrating an overall increase in the incidence of sharing with age. Furthermore-as previously found among the majority of Jewish children in Israel-the recipient's neediness moderated the association between household religiosity and sharing, such that religiosity predicted greater levels of sharing only when the recipient was described as "poor" (a child whose parents have little money), not when the prospective recipient was not specified as such. Finally, the neediness of the recipient increased the incidence of sharing regardless of age, suggesting that in this unique minority population, sensitivity to the recipient's neediness emerges already at the age of 6. We discuss possible mechanisms behind this developmental pattern. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).

Lack of association between Helicobacter pylori infection and childhood overweight/obesity.

The reduction in the prevalence of Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) infection in developed countries coincides with the increasing incidence of obesity and might be a contributing factor to the obesity epidemic. We aimed to evaluate the association between H. pylori infection and childhood overweight/ obesity in Israeli children. Patients diagnosed with H. pylori infection by endoscopy, histology, and a positive culture, between January 2013 and August 2018, were identified and compared with H. pylori-negative children, of the same age and gender, undergoing endoscopy for the same indications during the same time period. Data collected included the following: age, gender, height, weight, BMI, BMI percentile, and the indication for endoscopy. Patients with missing anthropometric data or having a disease affecting growth were excluded. We included 146 H. pylori-positive children and 146 age- and gender-matched H. pylori-negative patients. 63.7% (186/292) were female, mean age 13.1±3.7. Overweight (BMI between the 85th-95th percentile) and obesity (BMI>95th percentile) were present in 56/292 (19.2%). Among the H. pylori-positive children, 11.6% were overweight, 7.5% obese, among the H. pylori-negative children, 10.3% were overweight, 8.9% obese, demonstrating no differences between the groups. The main indication for endoscopy was abdominal/ epigastric pain in 79.8% (233/292). The percent of children with a BMI≥85% did not differ by gender age or the indication for endoscopy. No association between H. pylori infection and childhood overweight/ obesity was demonstrated. This is in contrasts with previous pediatric studies demonstrating an inverse correlation.

Israeli Children's Literature about People with Disabilities

In an open letter addressed to Israeli educators, Rabbi Shai Piron, then Education Minister, announced the theme of the 2013–14 academic year to be ‘Him Is Me’. As part of the implementation of Piron's programme, the Ministry published a list of recommended children's books about ‘the Other’, which is still used by educators. This article reflects upon and analyses books for ages four to eight included in this list that focus on children with disabilities. At first glance, it seems that the books call for full social inclusion of disabled children, thereby accomplishing the goals set by the ministry. However, a thorough textual analysis raises questions as to the true messages hidden between the lines of some of the works, questions about how far ‘otherness’ is embraced and acknowledged.

The epidemiology of Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia in Israeli children: Community- vs hospital-acquired or healthcare related infections.

Incidences of Staphylococcus aureus bacteraemia (SAB) in Israeli children are unknown. The characteristics of SAB in children have not been evaluated. SAB from children aged ≤18years old, admitted to a tertiary hospital in Israel during 2002-2015, were included. The proportional rate of SAB was calculated per 1000 admissions. SAB were classified as community acquired (CA), hospital acquired (HA) and healthcare related (HCR). Patients' characteristics, antibiotic susceptibility and outcomes were assessed in each group. The rate of SAB was stable, 1.48 per 1000 admissions. HA, CA and HCR-SAB comprised 53%, 25% and 22%, respectively. Only 27/185 (14.6%) were caused by methicillin-resistant Saureus (MRSA): 22%, 6% and 5% of HA, CA and HCR-SAB, respectively. Central venous catheter, recent surgery, immunodeficiency and age <6years were the main risk factors for HA and HCR-SAB (adjusted OR: 68.9, 7.5, 5.8 and 5.5, respectively). Treatment duration for CA was >21days: and for HA and HCR, 14-20days. All-cause in-hospital mortality and 30-day mortality were documented in 10 (5%) and 3 (2%) episodes, respectively. The rate of SAB; the proportions of CA, HA and HCR-SAB; and the proportion of MRSA was stable over the years. MRSA was mainly in HA-SAB. Thirty-day mortality was rare.

PESAN MORAL PENDIDIKAN DALAM KISAH MŪSĀ PERSPEKTIF AL-QURAN

Prophet Mūsā was the first Prophet from the Children of Israel and became the icon of that people. Even though his story is narrated in the Quran in many separate verses and chapters, that story describes a series of sub-stories under one title. So that, it attracts the reader's attention. What is more interesting is that, in the story of Prophet Mūsā, the perspective of the Quran contains educational values, morals (moral-ethics) and faith (theology). These three points emphasize the value of independence (physical), emotional maturity (emotional), and religious maturity (spiritual). So that it becomes an inspiration for the world of education in Indonesia. The Quranic perspective in the story of Prophet Mūsā is found under three main objectives of the moral message of education, namely; to direct people to fear Allah (Q.S. Ṭāhā [20]: 13-14), to guide all the mankind into the noble character (Q.S. al-Qaṣaṣ [28]: 14); and to uphold justice (Q.S. Ṭāhā [20]: 42-47).

Disordered eating among Arab and Jewish youth in Israel: the role of eating dinner with the family

BackgroundDisordered eating (DE), defined as unhealthy eating attitudes and behaviors, is considered a major public health problem among adolescents. Nevertheless, rates of DE among Arab and Jewish adolescents in Israel are still unknown. Furthermore, while previous studies have highlighted the role of frequent family meals as a protective factor against DE, studies examining home family dinners relative to other common dinner options (e.g., eating at home alone, eating out of the home, not eating dinner at all) are largely unavailable. We sought to use representative data of middle and high-school children in Israel in order to identify rates of DE among Arabs and Jews, while examining the relations of home family dinners (vs. other dinner options) with DE.MethodsA nationally representative school-based survey of 4926 middle and high-school children (11–19 years old) was conducted during 2015–2016. Participants indicated where and with whom they had eaten dinner the day before. The 5-item SCOFF questionnaire was used (> 2 affirmative items were considered a likely case of DE). Height and weight were measured by personnel.ResultsDE was more prevalent among girls (29.7%) relative to boys (12.2%), Arabs (25.1%) relative to Jews (19.5%), and older (25.3%) relative to younger (17.6%) adolescents. Arabs were more likely to eat dinner at home with parents/family (chi2 = 10.75, p = .001), or not to eat dinner at all (chi2 = 63.27, p < .001), while Jews were more likely to eat dinner alone (chi2 = 5.37, p = .021) or to eat dinner out of the home (chi2 = 67.65, p < .001). Logistic regressions (stratified by ethnicity and adjusted for gender, age, weight) revealed that family dinners acted as a protective factor against DE, relative to eating out of the home or relative to not eating dinner at all among both ethnic groups, and relative to eating dinner alone among Arabs.ConclusionThere are differences between Arab and Jewish adolescents in terms of rates of yesterday’s family dinners and DE. Given that eating dinner with the family was linked with lower rates of DE, possible interventions to reduce DE may include educating parents of both Arab and Jewish adolescents regarding the importance of family meals.

Parental Styles and Parental Emotional Intelligence as Predictors of Challenging Behavior Problems Among Children in Israel

This study examined whether two facets of preschool children’s home environment, parenting style and parental emotional intelligence, may be risk factors for challenging behaviors among kindergarten children in Arab society in Israel. The author sampled 524 parents of children ages 4 to 5 years who completed questionnaires about their parenting style, emotional intelligence, and their child’s behavior. Teachers also reported on the children’s challenging behaviors to increase reliability. The findings revealed that authoritarian (high demandingness, low warmth) and uninvolved (low demandingness, low warmth) parenting styles and low parental emotional intelligence were associated with greater challenging behaviors in children (both parent and teacher reports). Notably, authoritative (high demandingness, high warmth) parenting style was related to fewer challenging behaviors in children, suggesting that this may be a protective factor for children. The findings broadly parallel prior research across cultures.

The Contribution of Therapeutic Horseback Riding to the Improvement of Executive Functions and Self-Esteem Among Children With ADHD

Background: Attention deficit hyperactive disorder (ADHD) is associated with difficulties in executive functions (EFs), (assessed by questionnaires) and self-esteem. Objective: To examine the contribution of therapeutic horseback riding to the EFs’ improvement and self-esteem. Method: In total, 123 Israeli children diagnosed with ADHD participated in the study. The study group participated in 20 weeks of therapeutic horseback riding sessions in addition to receiving medication, whereas the control group received only medication. The children and their mothers filled out questionnaires before treatment, at the end of treatment, and 12 weeks after the treatment ended. To examine changes in the children’s EFs and self-esteem, a series of latent growth models (LGMs) were conducted. Results: Therapeutic horseback riding contributed to the improvement of EFs and self-esteem. Improved self-esteem predicted subsequent improvement in EFs. Conclusion: Therapeutic horseback riding is an effective therapeutic method to improve EFs and self-esteem among children with ADHD.

Professional football training for Israeli children since the 2000s

ABSTRACT This article offers a comparison between management systems of children and youth football departments in England and in Israel. Following a series of football disasters, the British authorities were able to reposition football as a game based on aristocratic values like integrity and delicacy and create a well-organised management system. Israeli football, which is particularly inspired by English and European football, struggles to develop similar mechanisms due to a constant state of scarcity. A new programme in Israel, the Shield of Honour, offers a new model that facilitates and motivates football managers and coaches in youth and children departments to adopt more European-like management practices.

Factors contributing to continuity and discontinuity in child psychopathology from infancy to childhood: An explorative study.

This study examined the psychopathology and socioemotional functioning of school-aged children treated during infancy and a comparison group of children without symptoms or treatment history. Our goal was to identify the factors associated with the continuity of psychopathology from infancy to childhood. The sample comprised 54 Israeli children, 30 with treatment history as infants in an infant mental health clinic and 24 with no treatment history. A 2 × 2 study design, with treatment history (treated/non-treated) and current psychiatric diagnosis (diagnosed vs. non-diagnosed), was used and group differences in children’s psychopathology (Development and Well-Being Assessment (DAWBA)), socioemotional functioning (Vineland Adaptive Behavior Scales–Second Edition (VABS-II)), maternal stress (Parenting Stress Index-Short Form (PSI/SF)) and psychopathology (Symptom Checklist-90-Revised (SCL-90-R)), family functioning (Family Assessment Device (FAD)), and mother–child relational patterns (Coding Interactive Behavior (CIB)) were assessed. We found no differences between the previously treated and non-treated groups in the rate of given Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR) diagnosis. However, there was an interactive effect of treatment history × current psychiatric diagnosis, with the highest level of maternal stress in mothers of children exhibiting both early and late emotional and/or behavioral symptoms. Implications of these findings for identifying children and families at risk for continued child psychopathology and the importance of early parent–child psychotherapy interventions are discussed.

GUIDE AGAINST ELDERLY ABUSE AMONG THE EFIK PEOPLE OF SOUTH-SOUTH, NIGERIA: AN EXAMINATION OF EXODUS 20:12

Elderly abuse is an issue that has not been given much attention particularly among the Efik speaking people of South-South, Nigeria. The unjust and abusive treatment given generally to the elderly is gradually on the increase in the 21st century. The growing number of parents experiencing abuse, violence and insult in contemporary Efik society by caregivers or sometimes their children desire some attention. Today, since most elderly persons are not seen as breadwinners of the family, they are regarded as not being important and as such, not given the same respect as they deserve. This paper examines the biblical injunction of Exodus 20:12 to honour one's father and mother and its implication among the Efik People of South-South, Nigeria. God through Moses gave the children of Israel some moral laws that guided their relationship with the aged and elderly. The commandment in Exodus 20:12 to honour one's father and mother were primarily to protect them from abuse and neglect. Similarly, among the Efik people, some moral laws protected the aged and the elderly from possible abuse. This obligatory respect for the aged which was a panacea for family stability in the patriarchal period and Efik traditional setting is gradually losing its relevance in contemporary times. This cultural shift calls for reinvigoration in an attempt to stop elderly abuse among the Efik people. The paper adopted the qualitative research method using the hermeneutical and historical approach and discovered that globalization, urbanization and poverty have contributed in no small measure to the devaluing respect that the Efik people had for the aged and recommends the introduction of gerontology as part of civic education in Primary and Secondary schools to recapture these values.

The Christian woman as a weaker, but honoured vessel (1 Pt 3:7): Forbidden to act in persona Christi

This article presents a Christian liturgical leader as an empty, but useful vessel whose strength is made perfect by the reliance on God’s grace. The word vessel is often used in the Bible, and in English terms it translates to be either a container such as a bowl or a jug, or either a ship or a boat. The biblical meaning denotes a person whom God calls and uses as a vessel. The metaphor of a leader as a useful vessel, refers to a person that is receptive. Paul in 2 Timothy 2: 20–21 clearly proclaims that vessels come as useful ones and not so useful ones; some bring honour and others dishonour – the choice belongs to each individual and is illustrated in 2 Corinthians 4:7: ‘… but we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us’. While the task of Christian liturgical leadership is ambiguous and complex, this article refers to someone called to exercise authority and leadership in the way as Jesus called Paul, namely as ‘a chosen vessel of Mine to bear my name before Gentiles, kings, and the children of Israel’ (Ac 9:15). On the flip side, this brings in a challenging equation of 1 Peter 3:7 where the woman is termed ‘the weaker vessel’ that ‘should be honoured …’. From this perspective, this article explores what impact this problematic passage has on women’s liturgical leadership and practice, especially in the Roman Catholic ecclesiastical culture. It presents a functional biblical vision derived from an understanding that leaders are the vessels that God calls and uses, and that they are guided by a biblical spirituality of leadership. This leadership is consistent with the democratic tradition within Christianity that emphasises dialogue with the Holy Spirit.

Are the World Health Organization growth standards universal? The Israeli children validity study

The World Health Organization (WHO) 2006 growth standards were adopted in most countries, Israel included. We aimed to study the assumption that growth in early years is similar across populations by studying the validity of the WHO growth standards in a large population-based study of Israeli infants. Computerized data on infants born in 2011–2015 who were followed in the well-baby clinics for the first 2 years of their lives were retrieved from the Ministry of Health. Data included sociodemographics, delivery information, and visit-specific measurements of weight, recumbent length, and head circumference. Sex- and age-specific z-scores, percentiles, and outliers of anthropometric measurements were calculated and compared with the Standards. These analyses were repeated for “ideally grown” infants. Israeli infants were consistently shorter, with z-scores ranging from −0.07 SD (standard deviation) to −0.5 SD. Also, Israeli infants weighed less than predicted by the standards in the first 9 months. The proportion over 2 SD in weight-for-length increased with age from 2.2–2.9% in the first 6 months of life to 3.4–5.1% in the second year of life, which is well above the expected value of 2.3%. Israeli infants were shorter and more likely to be obese than predicted by the Standards. Having differences in length even more prominent among “ideally grown” children suggest that the WHO standards might not be optimal for monitoring the growth of Israeli infants.

Area-level socioeconomic disparity trends in nutritional status among 5–6-year-old children in Israel

ObjectiveThis study aimed to assess area-level socioeconomic position (SEP) disparities in nutritional status, to determine whether disparities differed by sex and to assess whether nutritional status and disparities changed over...