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Children’s growth is a complex phenomenon genetically determined and modulated by a set of interrelated environmental factors. Objective: Analyze the growth and nutritional status of schoolchildren. Materials and methods: Cross-sectional, descriptive study (March to May 2019), 3802 schoolchildren (5 to 12 years) in Caracas, Miranda, and Bolívar, vulnerable private institutions. Variables, weight, height, and waist circumference. Growth was analyzed with international (WHO) and national (Venezuela Project) references. Nutritional status with the WHO reference standard, height-age, and Body Mass Index (BMI). Results: Bolívar schoolchildren are taller than Caracas-Miranda. Those from Caracas-Miranda had a higher BMI than those from Bolívar, significant at p>0.05 at some ages. The schoolchildren from Caracas-Miranda and Bolívar were taller and heavier - BMI than the national reference and girls up to 8 years old. Those from Bolívar had a BMI higher than the national reference but had a height and BMI lower than the international reference. The schoolchildren from Caracas-Miranda were smaller in height and had a BMI higher than the WHO. Short and very short stature, in the children of Bolívar, varied between 5.8% and 7.4%, and in Caracas-Miranda between 4.5% and 10.8%. The low and very low weight in Bolívar varied between 1.4% and 9.7% and in Caracas-Miranda 1.5% to 5.8%. Conclusion: The differences in growth and nutritional status among schoolchildren reflect inequalities in living conditions and well-being, which should be considered in the design of public policies, aimed at overcoming unfavorable environmental factors that limit growth and development. comprehensive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Indicators of child height, such as mean height-for-age Z-scores (HAZ), height-for-age difference (HAD) and stunting prevalence, do not account for differences in population-average bone developmental stage. Aim Propose a measure of child height that conveys the dependency of linear growth on stage rather than chronological age. Subjects and methods Using Demographic and Health Surveys (2000–2018; 64 countries), we generated: (1) predicted HAZ at specific ages (HAZ regressed on age); (2) height-age (age at which mean height matches the WHO Growth Standards median); (3) Growth delay (GD), the difference between chronological age and height-age; (4) HAD; and (5) stunting prevalence. Metrics were compared based on secular trends within countries and age-related trajectories within surveys. Results In the most recent surveys (N = 64), GDs ranged from 1.9 to 19.1 months at 60 months chronological age. Cross-sectionally, HAZ, HAD and GD were perfectly correlated, and showed similar secular trends. However, age-related trajectories differed across metrics. Accumulating GD with age demonstrated growth faltering as slower than expected growth for children of the same height-age. Resumption of growth at the median for height-age was rarely observed. Conclusion GD is a population-level measure of child health that reflects the role of delayed skeletal development in linear growth faltering.

Indicators of child height, such as mean height-for-age Z-scores (HAZ), height-for-age difference (HAD) and stunting prevalence, do not account for differences in population-average bone developmental stage. Propose a measure of child height that conveys the dependency of linear growth on stage rather than chronological age. Using Demographic and Health Surveys (2000–2018; 64 countries), we generated: (1) predicted HAZ at specific ages (HAZ regressed on age); (2) height-age (age at which mean height matches the WHO Growth Standards median); (3) Growth delay (GD), the difference between chronological age and height-age; (4) HAD; and (5) stunting prevalence. Metrics were compared based on secular trends within countries and age-related trajectories within surveys. In the most recent surveys (N = 64), GDs ranged from 1.9 to 19.1 months at 60 months chronological age. Cross-sectionally, HAZ, HAD and GD were perfectly correlated, and showed similar secular trends. However, age-related trajectories differed across metrics. Accumulating GD with age demonstrated growth faltering as slower than expected growth for children of the same height-age. Resumption of growth at the median for height-age was rarely observed. GD is a population-level measure of child health that reflects the role of delayed skeletal development in linear growth faltering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The height-for-age (HA) reference currently used for children with achondroplasia is not adaptable for electronic records or calculation of HA Z-scores. We report new HA curves and tables of mean and standard deviation (SD) HA, for calculating Z-scores, from birth-16 years in achondroplasia. Mixed longitudinal data were abstracted from medical records of achondroplasia patients from a single clinical practice (CIS, 1967-2004). Gender-specific height percentiles (5, 25, 50, 75, 95th) were estimated across the age continuum, using a 2 month window per time point smoothed by a quadratic smoothing algorithm. HA curves were constructed for 0-36 months and 2-16 years to optimize resolution for younger children. Mean monthly height (SD) was tabulated. These novel HA curves were compared to reference data currently in use for children with achondroplasia. 293 subjects (162 male/131 female) contributed 1,005 and 932 height measures, with greater data paucity with age. Mean HA tracked with original achondroplasia norms, particularly through mid-childhood (2-9 years), but with no evidence of a pubertal growth spurt. Standard deviation of height at each month interval increased from birth through 16 years. Birth length was lower in achondroplasia than average stature and, as expected, height deficits increased with age. A new HA reference is available for longitudinal growth assessment in achondroplasia, taking advantage of statistical modeling techniques and allowing for Z-score calculations. This is an important contribution to clinical care and research endeavors for the achondroplasia population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generalized algebraic difference approach and site index models, which are commonly fitted to repeated-measures data in forestry, are formulated by specifying that one or more regression parameters depend on a single, common subject-specific quantity. Their formulation leads to shortcomings not present with "effects" types of formulations, which involve specifying each subject-specific regression parameter as depending on at least one local quantity that no other parameters depend on. We give conceptual illustrations as well as empirical examples using published models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vitamin A (VA) is an essential micronutrient for the immune system and several researchs have shown a synergic relationship between vitamin A status and morbidity. The aim was to show the relationship between serum retinol level, Conjunctival Impression Cytology (CIC), anthropometric status, and morbidity in low income school children. 445 children (both genders) between 4 and 13 years old were assessed. Serum retinol levels (HPLC-r), Creactive protein (nefelometry) and CIC (ICEPO), anthropometric indicators (Weight-height (WH), height-age (HA) according to national references values), morbidity (diarrhea, respiratory tract infections, measles, and parasitosis) two months prior to the evaluation, were determined. The poverty was 92.3%, wasting (WH = p10) 7%, overweight (WH > p90) 10.8%, and stunting (HA = p3) 1.5%. 18% had one or more diarrhea episodes, 39.8% upper respiratory tract infections, 28.1% lower respiratory tract infections, and 32.8% intestinal parasitosis; 10.3% showed a high level of C-reactive protein (CRP > 10mg/L). The average retinol level was 35.7 ± 9.2µg/dL, with 0.7% low level (< 20µg/dL), 27.4% of the children at risk of vitamin A deficiency (20-30µg/dL), and 9.5% deficient according CIC. There was a significant correlation between serum retinol and CIC, and a significant association between serum retinol and upper respiratory tract infections, but not between morbidity and CIC. There was not a significant association between anthropometric indicators and vitamin A status and morbidity. In this study it was not possible to demonstrate the relationship between vitamin A status and diarrhea, measles, lower respiratory tract infections and parasitosis but the high prevalence of marginal serum retinol levels and morbidity in this group makes it susceptible to nutritional surveillance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The anthropometric indicators are useful to value the state of health and nutrition of children, allowing to measure in indirect way the quality of life of a population. Prevalences of Anthropometric Nutritional State of children from private schools of Caracas and from suburban zones of Baruta and the Hatillo were analyzed. 1009 children were evaluated (640 from private schools and 369 children from suburban zones). Age and sex were considered and height and weight were measured. Traditional anthropometric indicators were constructed: weight-height (WH), height-age (HA) and weight-age (WA). They were classified into three categories: under average (p90). The proportions of subjects classified into each category for each indicator were obtained. The statistical significance differences between the prevalences were determined by using an X² test. The results indicated statistically significant differences (p<0.001) between the nutritional status prevalences between children of private schools and those of suburban zones for all the indicators. Those from private schools showed a greater proportion of values over the average (WH 20,3%, HA 45,3%, WA 37,7%) in comparison with those from suburban zones (WH 8,4%, HA 16%, WA 11,4%). Children from suburban zones showed the greater proportion of under average values. Results demonstrate that the socio-economic level of the family has an influence on the nutritional status of the children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]