Height Of Primary School Children Research Articles

Early-life exposure to weather shocks and child height: Evidence from industrializing Japan

In this study, we estimate the long-run effects of early-life exposure to weather shocks on the height of primary school children. To estimate the global impacts on almost the entire child population in an industrializing country, we utilize both a unique nationwide multi-dimensional longitudinal dataset of Japanese children aged 6–11 and official monthly statistics on meteorological conditions in the 1920s. We observe that the exposure to cold waves in early-life exerted stunting effects on both the boys and girls. In the coldest regions in the northeastern area of Japan, the stunting effects of cold weather shocks on the boys and girls are estimated to be approximately 0.8 and 0.6 cm, respectively. Our observation indicates that prenatal (postnatal) exposure is important for the boys (girls). Our results suggest that the marginal effects of cold waves are stronger in the warmer regions than in the colder regions.

Effects of giardiasis on school success, weight and height indices of primary school children in Turkey

Giardia intestinalis, the most common parasite in the world, causes several adverse effects on school children, with the prevalence rate ranging between 7.3% and 28% (mean 13.8%) in Turkey. The aim of the present study was to investigate possible adverse effects of G. intestinalis on success at school, and the mean weight and height of primary school children in Sivas, Turkey. Five primary schools from central Sivas, Turkey, had a number of students from different socioeconomic conditions and regions. The stool specimens were examined by light microscopy for giardiasis using saline-Lugol and/or zinc sulfate flotation method. Three groups in the present study include the symptomatic giardiasis group (SG), which included children with giardiasis along with abdominal pain and/or diarrhea, the asymptomatic giardiasis group (ASG) without any symptom and the non-parasitic (NPG) group without any parasites. While 599 (34.6%) out of 1730 children were parasitic, 192 (11.1%) had only G. intestinalis. Ninety-eight (5.7%) of 192 were SG (with diarrhea and/or abdominal pain and 94 (5.4%) were ASG. The weights and heights were lower in the children with giardiasis than the children without any parasite. There was a significant difference between the giardiasis group and NPG when the numbers of persons living in the house were compared. While there were no significant difference between the giardiasis group and NPG when the sexes were compared, success at school and economical levels were found to be significantly different between these groups. There was a higher prevalence of giardiasis in primary school children and their physical and mental conditions were affected adversely. Giardia infections in particular have adverse effects on success at school.

Father's unemployment and height of primary school children in Britain

In a nutritional surveillance system of 5-11-year-old children the association between father's employment status and his child's height, weight-for-height and their rates of change over 2 years were assessed. The study was carried out in three samples: quasi-representative English sample 1984-86; quasi-representative Scottish samples 1983/84-1985/86; and a sample of English inner city areas 1983-85. For the cross-sectional analysis the sample sizes were 6527 for the English representative sample, 4285 for the Scottish representative sample and 6709 for the English inner city areas sample. In an analysis of height gain in 2 years the samples comprised 3814, 2676 and 3682 children respectively. In the analysis the following data were used: father's employment status and social class; number of children in the family; parents' reported height and child's reported birth weight; and child's height and weight measurements and a classification of ethnic origin obtained during fieldwork. Children with an unemployed father were shorter, especially if the father was unemployed for more than a year, than children with a currently employed father. After adjustment for parents' height, child's birth weight, father's social class and family size the difference persisted but reduced, to approximately 1.2 cm. Height gain in a 2-year period was not associated with father's employment status. If father's unemployment is causally linked to child's height a child is most vulnerable at pre-school age.

School meals, school milk and height of primary school children in England and Scotland in the eighties.

In a nutritional surveillance system of primary school children in England and Scotland we assessed the possible effects on height gain of changes in school meals and school milk policies following the 1980 Education Act (No. 2). Mean height and height gain were estimated separately for English and Scottish samples from 1982 to 1984, and for a selective sample of inner city areas with a high proportion of ethnic minorities from 1983 to 1985 in children from 5.00 to 9.99 years. Children receiving free school meals were smaller than children paying for school meals or receiving a meal prepared elsewhere, while children receiving free school milk were of similar stature to other children in the study. The rate of growth was assessed in children receiving school meals or lunches prepared at home, and in those for whom arrangements changed during the study period; it was also assessed in those children for whom school milk was available, not available, or for whom the provision changed. No consistent association was found between provision of school meals or school milk and the rate of growth in the three samples studied when stratified according to poverty status and ethnic background. We conclude that this observational study does not provide any evidence that the current availability of school meals or school milk increases the rate of growth of primary school children in any social stratum.

The secular trend in height of primary school children in England and Scotland 1972–79 and 1979–86

The recent secular trend in height of primary school children was estimated using data from schools participating in the National Study of Health and Growth in 1972, 1979 and 1986. About 50% of the trends from 1972 to 1979 for English and Scottish boys and girls were accounted for by changes in family size, with some contribution from increases in parental height and from birthweight, but almost none from changes in social class distribution. Estimates for 1979-1986 showed that the trend towards increased height in five-to eleven-year-old children has now ceased.

Height of primary school children and parents' perceptions of food intolerance.

In the national study of health and growth parents' responses to a self completed questionnaire were used to categorize children according to their experience of food intolerance. The heights of the children in each group were then compared. Useful responses to the questions on food intolerance were received for 6813 (85%) children in the sample and measurements of height obtained for 7856 (98%). Children with food intolerance were shorter than other children. A difference in height of about 1.5 cm remained after adjusting for social and biological factors and some common symptoms in childhood using multiple regression. The number of different types of food avoided was associated with shortness in the food intolerant group but not in the non-food-intolerant group. Regardless of the underlying aetiology, these findings suggest that parents' complaints of food intolerance in their children should be taken seriously.

The relation of the height of primary school children to population density.

The relation of the height of primary school children to population density, as measured at the 1971 census, was investigated for children in 21 study areas in England, using data from the 1972 survey of the National Study of Health and Growth. Shorter stature was found with increasing population density, and this relation remained after allowing for child's birthweight, mother's height, father's height, social class, number of siblings, and additionally a measure of home overcrowding. The results are in contrast to those found elsewhere, and are unlikely to indicate a cause-and-effect relationship between population density and height. The findings cannot be explained either by known differences between urban and rural areas in social characteristics or by plausible hypotheses of genetic heterogeneity.

National Study of Health and Growth: Respiratory Symptoms and Helght in Primary Schoolchildren

An analysis of the relationship between the height of primary schoolchildren in England and Scotland and their respiratory symptoms as reported by their parents showed that children with morning cough, day and night cough, wheeze and asthma or bronchitis in the preceding 12 months were shorter than those without these symptoms. In subsequent analyses account was taken of differences in social and biological factors as measured by father's social class, sibship size and parent's height. The relationship between height and asthma remained statistically significant. Morning cough and day and night cough were related to short stature in children living in more deprived conditions. The number of respiratory symptoms was inversely related to height but once the children with asthma were excluded from the analysis the trend tended to disappear. There was also some evidence that children with respiratory symptoms gained less height in a year than those without. Our results indicate that, with the exception of asthma, the association between respiratory symptoms and height in primary school children is only marginal. Nevertheless in lower social classes and where sibling size is large common respiratory symptoms are related to short stature.

Social factors and height of primary schoolchildren in England and Scotland.

In 1972 the height of 7601 children aged five to 11.5 years in England and of 2214 in Scotland was measured. Their parents were asked to complete a questionnaire to provide social and antrhopometric information. A sequence of linear models was fitted to the data to assess the associations between social and biological factors and height. At the time of the study it was found that sibship size, father's social class, and his employment status all had a significant relationship with child's height; however, parents' height and child's birthweight both accounted for relatively more of the variance in child's height than father's social class and employment status. In England, sibship size significantly influenced the height of children of manual workers, but not that of nonmanual workers' children. In Scotland, sibship size was associated with height in all social groups. Surveillance and possibly intervention in a wide range of activities should be directed at socially more deprived groups; for example, in Social Class V, in which there are more large families and unemployment is more common.