Growth pattern of children in a Moslem semirural community near Jerusalem

Abstract

The growth pattern of infants from birth to 2 years of age was studied in a homogenous Moslem semirural community near Jerusalem. The weight of the study population was compared with that of children from a western neighbourhood in Jerusalem and the National Centre of Health Statistics standard. The Abu Ghosh children are lighter than the Jerusalem and the National Centre of Health Statistics populations at birth and subsequently at 1, 6, 12, and 24 months of age. The percentage of weight gain between any two measurements at the various ages is slightly lower than that of the Jerusalem population. There is no decline in percentage of weight gain after weaning. Birthweight has accounted for a high percentage of explained variance of weight at 6 months (14.4%), but explained only 1.2% of variance at 24 months. The percentage of girls below the 10% centile was less than that of boys. The genetic and environmental effects on growth as well as the effect of the mother and child health services on the child rearing patterns of the populations are discussed.