Identification of factors associated with the growth of schoolchildren in southern Iran.

The effects of socio-economic/cultural factors on the growth of school children in the city of Shiraz (Southern Iran) are examined by using univariate and multivariate analysis (ANOVA and MANOVA). Districts of residence and fathers' level of education are identified as the factors affecting the growth of children after adjusting for the effects of family size (number of children in a family) and the parent sizes. Z-scores of the children's sizes (Growth Indices) derived from polynomial growth modelling were taken as response variable(s) which analysed the data effectively. ANOVA shed the light on the effects of the factors on growth indices and MANOVA is shown to be an efficient tool to study the joint effect on the height, weight, and arm circumference indices. In order to explore the complex interrelated pattern of other factors influencing the growth of children and infants in Iran a further longitudinal study is suggested.