Physical growth in school girls: relationship to socio-economic status and dietary intake--II.

Growth of 955 healthy normal girls between ages 5-16 years was measured with a mixed-longitudinal design to observe variations due to socio-economic status and the dietary intake. Five hundred and thirteen girls belonged to upper socio-economic status (USES) and 442 girls to lower SES. The 24 hours diet-intake of each girl was recorded by 24 hour-recall method. The LSES girls were significantly smaller in every physical measurements compared to USES girls. Annual mean increments for the linear and circumferential measurements were also lower among LSES girls till the peak velocity was attained. The mean increments for triceps were also lower in LSES for all ages. The girls on inadequate calories were significantly smaller in their growth than who consumed adequate or more than adequate calories. The effect of protein was less evident. A higher percentage of LSES girls (91.2%) consumed inadequate calories than those of USES girls 38.2%). The present study thus established that SES and dietary intake had significant bearing on the physical growth of the pre-adolescent and adolescent girls.